Canberra Events - Families of Veterans Guild

Wellbeing activities held for war widows and veteran families

Kelly Taylor — Fri, 07 Feb 2025 01:05:10 +0000

The first month of the new year has ended with great success for our Wellbeing Program that has been busy hosting engaging and meaningful activities designed to foster connection, relaxation and personal growth. From social catch-ups to hands-on creative workshops, these events have provided valuable opportunities for war widows and veteran families to bond, reflect and unwind. Take a look at two of our most recent activities.

Coffee catch up at the Royal Australian Mint

On 17 January, defence and veteran families gathered at the Royal Australian Mint café for a relaxed and enjoyable catch up over drinks. This gathering provided a wonderful opportunity for families to bond with new acquaintances and share stories and strengthen the bonds within the defence community over a coffee.

Following the café catch up, attendees explored the newly refurbished Mint, immersing themselves in the fascinating world of coins and currency. Attendees gained insight into the history of Australian coins, the coin design process and the Mint’s crucial role in producing the nation’s currency.

A particular highlight of the visit was the behind the scenes experience of watching coins being minted on the factory floor in real time. Interactive exhibits and games added an extra layer of fun, making the experience engaging for all ages. Attendees left with a special self-minted commemorative coin, serving as a lasting memory of a day spent with family!

Kokedama workshop

On 23 January, veteran families of all ages gathered at Kissing Point Cottage for a morning of mindful grounding and social connection. War widows, partners of current and former serving ADF members and their children took part in a hands on Kokedama plant making activity while enjoying a delicious morning tea provided by Kissing Point Cottage.

Kokedama, a traditional Japanese gardening technique, involves creating a moss-covered ball of soil wrapped in string to nurture a small houseplant. Participants molded, patted, wrapped, and squeezed their creations to create a beautiful Kokedama! The activity provided a unique opportunity for reflection, connection, and learning over a day of creativity and getting your hands messy.

These activities are just the beginning of an exciting year ahead for our Wellbeing Program. If you missed out or are looking for other ways to get involved, stay tuned for upcoming events designed to support and connect defence and veteran families of all kinds. Subscribe to our Wellbeing Newsletter so you don’t miss a thing!

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Canberra Pompeii exhibition

Kelly Taylor — Mon, 03 Feb 2025 02:24:01 +0000

Canberra veteran families are invited to attend a Pompeii exhibition

Has any of your loved ones ever served in the Australian Defence Force? Are you connected to defence service in any way? Whether you’re the partner of a current member, a veteran spouse, parent, adult child or a widow of a veteran, we warmly invite defence and veteran families to join us for the Pompeii exhibition at National Museum of Australia in Canberra on Thursday 27 March 2025, brought to you by our Wellbeing Program.

Families of veterans and war widows make unique sacrifices during and after service. They balance the many demands of supporting a family, navigating grief and loss, relocations or adjustments, deployments or other absence from home, transition out of service or caring roles due to illness or injury.

Social connection, peer support and self-care are at the core of our wellbeing activities. We acknowledge that veteran families may face barriers in developing and maintaining peer connections due to the unique nature of defence life, increasing their risk of social isolation and loneliness. The purpose of this activity is to encourage the families of veterans to focus on self-care and expand their social network by connecting with like-minded peers.

Pompeii exhibition

Defence and veteran Families, including widows, are invited to come together at the National Museum of Australia for the Pompeii exhibition. Step inside Pompeii and discover life in the ancient city before the fateful eruption of Mount Vesuvius almost 2,000 years ago. Pompeii is an extraordinary new multi-sensory immersive experience that combines a spectacular 360-degree recreation of the volcanic eruption with more than 90 objects from the ancient city.

Please be advised that the Pompeii exhibition features loud noises and changing light levels. The gallery darkens every 15 minutes for a reenactment as Mount Vesuvius erupts. The exhibition also includes copies of casts of some of the victims of the 79 CE eruption.

There is no cost for this activity. Your admission to the Pompeii exhibition will be covered by Families of Veterans Guild.

Previous attendees to Wellbeing activities said “I just wanted to express my gratitude for being able to connect with such a wonderful group of women. It was such a great opportunity to do a self-care activity and get to know some of the other attendees at the same time.”

Event information

Location: National Museum of Australia, Lawson Crescent, Acton Peninsula, Canberra.
Date and Time: Thursday 27 March 2025, 9.30am – 11.30am.
Registrations: Open 20 February. Registrations close 20 March.
Cost: FREE for families of veterans.

Registration is a must, places are limited. Register below or call us on 02 9267 6577. For more information, please email wellbeing@fov.org.au.

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Macramé wall hanging workshop

Kelly Taylor — Mon, 03 Feb 2025 02:16:02 +0000

Canberra defence and veterans are invited to a macramé workshop

Has any of your loved ones ever served in the Australian Defence Force? Are you connected to defence service in any way? Whether you’re the partner of a current member, a veteran spouse, parent, adult child or a widow of a veteran, we warmly invite defence and veteran families to join us for our macramé wall hanging workshop in Canberra on Saturday 15 March 2025, brought to you by our Wellbeing Program.

Macramé workshop

Defence and veteran Families are invited to come together and create their own macramé wall hanging. This event aims to support peer connection, self-care and increased wellbeing through the process of craft making. The macramé event will be facilitated by artist, Annette Boyd. Annette uses natural materials to create beautiful handmade macramé sculptures, hanging pots and home décor. She is a trained teacher and regularly teaches short courses at CIT.

There is no cost for this activity. Your macramé wall hanging workshop and morning tea will be covered by Families of Veterans Guild.

Previous attendees to Wellbeing activities said “I feel incredibly fortunate to have connected with such a supportive group. It was an amazing opportunity to relax with a self-care activity while meeting others.”

Event information

Location: Downer Community Hall, Unit 4/6 Frencham Pl, Downer ACT 2602.
Date and Time: Saturday 15 March 2025, 9am – 11am.
Registrations: Open 7 February. Registrations close 7 March.
Cost: FREE for families of veterans.

Registration is a must, places are limited. Register below or call us on 02 9267 6577. For more information, please email wellbeing@fov.org.au.

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October Highlights From Our Wellbeing Program

Kelly Taylor — Wed, 13 Nov 2024 23:12:26 +0000

Veterans’ health week

The theme of Veterans’ Health Week 2024 was Keep Connected. This theme focused on promoting good health and wellbeing in the everyday life of veterans and their families and shone a light on the importance of social connection. Our Wellbeing Program held numerous events in Canberra and Sydney for defence and veteran families with a key focus on getting outdoors and making new connections.

Harbour heritage ecowalks

We were so lucky to enjoy beautiful weather on Friday 4th and Saturday 5th October for our wellbeing events at Mosman. We had a fabulous group of people each day connecting through nature, while taking in the scenery and military history. We ended each day with a delicious picnic lunch, watching the kookaburras play.

Sound healing

On Wednesday 9th and Saturday 12th October, we enjoyed relaxing sound healing sessions followed by a delicious lunch. Families enjoyed a deep sense of meditation; listening to the variety of calming sounds, including crystal singing bowls, promoting wellness and relaxation.

Wellness walk

We enjoyed a calm Friday morning at the Australian National Botanic Gardens in Canberra. As we walked through the gardens, the vibrant colours of blooming flowers and the soothing sounds of birds created a serene atmosphere that invited us to slow down and savour the moment. We followed the wellness walk with a lovely conversation over coffee at Pollen cafe.

“Attending this event showed me just how meaningful connection and support are. It was refreshing to feel understood and not isolated in my journey. I really enjoyed the experience of stepping beyond my comfort zone and trying new things.” – Veteran Spouse

Veteran carers support group

For the start of National Carers Week, Canberra carers gathered over Devonshire Tea, a much appreciated chance to unwind from their demanding schedules. This gathering was a beautiful reminder of the importance of taking time for ourselves, supporting one another, and nurturing our wellbeing amidst our caregiving roles. It was a lovely way to recharge and connect with other carers.

Kokodama workshop

On Friday 25th October we came together in Canberra for our Kokodama workshop. Annette Boyd led us in crafting wonderful balls of soil covered in moss and string, creating homes for our new succulent plants. This workshop was a welcomed grounding experience of self-care.

We strive to create an inclusive environment for all families of veterans, including war widows, partners, parents, grandchildren, serving personnel, and veterans. Our wellbeing events serve as a reminder of the importance of peer support and connection; no one understands better than the person who has, or who is, walking the same path.

We hope to see many more of you at our next wellbeing events. Be the first to know about the latest happenings in our Wellbeing Program by joining us over at our closed Facebook group here or by subscribing to our Wellbeing Newsletter.

[See image gallery at familiesofveterans.org.au]

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Canberra veteran families Wellness Walk

Kelly Taylor — Sun, 10 Nov 2024 21:35:11 +0000

Join us for a relaxing walk

Are you the partner of a current serving ADF member, a veteran spouse, parent of a veteran, adult child of a veteran, a widow, or connected to Defence in another way? We warmly invite families of veterans to join us for our Wellness Walk in Canberra on Friday 6 December 2024, brought to you by our Wellbeing Program.

Families of veterans can sometimes experience overwhelm when balancing the demands of supporting family, the impact of ADF service and/or in caring roles due to illness, injury and transitions. Social connection is at the core of our wellbeing events. In addressing social isolation and loneliness, we acknowledge that veteran families may face barriers in developing and maintaining peer connections due to the unique nature of Defence life. The purpose of this event is to encourage the families of veterans to engage in self-care activities and expand their social network by connecting with like-minded peers.

Wellness walk for defence and veteran families

Defence and Veteran Families are invited to come together and enjoy a walk around Lake Burley Griffin. We will walk the 5km bridge to bridge loop, taking you past some of our gorgeous cultural institutions and cafés. This event aims to support peer connection, self-care and increased wellbeing through a shared walking experience. This approximately 1 hour walk will start at the Griff Coffee Bar (next to the National Carillon). The event will include coffee or tea at one of the lake’s cafes.

Wear comfortable, weather appropriate clothing. This includes but is not limited to a hat, sunscreen, enclosed shoes that provide effective support to walk a moderate distance. Also, consider wearing long sleeves and pants to reduce the risk of sun exposure and if necessary, wet weather gear which may include a rain jacket.

There is no cost for this event. Your coffee or tea will be covered by Families of Veterans Guild.

Previous attendees to Wellbeing events said “I just wanted to express my gratitude for being able to connect with such a wonderful group of women. It was such a great opportunity to do a self-care activity and get to know some of the other attendees at the same time.”

Event information

Location: Meet at the Griff Coffee Bar (next to the National Carillon), Wendouree Dr, Parkes ACT 2600
Date and Time: Friday 6 December 2024, 9.30am-11.30am
Registrations: OPEN NOW. Registrations close 3 December
Cost: FREE for families of veterans

Registration is a must, places are limited. Register below or call us on 02 9267 6577. For more information, please email wellbeing@fov.org.au.

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Christmas family photoshoot for Canberra defence families

Kelly Taylor — Mon, 28 Oct 2024 04:24:04 +0000

We invite Canberra defence and veteran families to enjoy a Christmas photo shoot

Are you the partner of a current serving ADF member, a veteran spouse, parent of a veteran, adult child of a veteran, a widow, or connected to Defence in another way? We warmly invite families of veterans to join us for a Christmas family photoshoot in Canberra on Sunday 24 November 2024, brought to you by our Wellbeing Program.

Christmas family photoshoot

Join us for a Christmas family mini photoshoot for Defence and Veteran families. Families can book a 15min mini photoshoot where they will be photographed by Sarah of Three and You Photography.

You will receive 5 digital photos, plus the option to upgrade your gallery with the photographer.

Due to timing constraints, maximum 6 people per family photoshoot.

Christmas hats will be provided to wear on the day.

There is no cost for this event. The photoshoot will be covered by Families of Veterans Guild. Any additional upgrades of the gallery are the responsibility of the attendees.

Event information

Location: Weston Park, parking available Pontoon Pl Yarralumla, see where to meet at below
Date and Time: Sunday 24 November 2024
Registrations: OPEN NOW. Register below
Cost: FREE for families of veterans

Registration is a must, places are limited. Register below or call us on 02 9267 6577. For more information, please email wellbeing@fov.org.au.

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