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.

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.

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.

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.

Defence and veteran families are invited to a free collage workshop!

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 collage workshop in Canberra on Sunday 17 November 2024. 

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. 

Collage workshop 

Join us for a 2 hour collage workshop for Defence and Veteran families where participants will work on individual art pieces that they can take home afterwards. The workshop will be facilitated by Jacqui (Art Therapist and Counsellor) and Deneka (Social Worker). The event will provide a fun and meaningful bonding experience for participants, and encourage self reflection and increased wellbeing via the process of art making. Tea, coffee and light refreshments will be provided. 

There is no cost for this event. The workshop and light refreshments 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: Strathnairn Arts Association, Via Gullifer St, Holt ACT
  

• Date and Time: Sunday 17 November 2024, 10am – 12pm
  

• Registrations: Open 17 October 2024. Registrations close 10 November 

• 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. 

ADF families in Canberra are invited to join this free yoga session

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 yoga session in Canberra on Friday 8 November 2024. 

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. 

Enjoy a gentle yoga experience 

Defence and Veteran Families are invited to come together for a yoga session. Join Eli Haski, owner of Canberra Yoga Space for a gentle practice of yoga. We will breathe, bend, stretch and strengthen together to open up the body and let blood, heat and energy flow. This accessible practice will help your to open up chest and hips, relax neck and shoulders, soothe your back and strengthen your belly. We will bring it all together at the end with a long relaxation meditation so that you can feel relaxed, rejuvenated and deeply rested. The class will end with tea and light refreshments. 

Wear comfortable clothing and bring along a water bottle and a hand towel to place over soft props. Please note that the yoga studio is up a flight of stairs and participants would need to be able to get up and down off the floor with ease. Please advise us at the time of booking if you have injuries or problems with movement, kneeling or hands and knees position. 

There is no cost for this event. Your yoga class and light refreshments 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: Canberra Yoga Space, Level 1, Suite 6/13 Botany Street, Phillip ACT 2606 
  

• Date and Time: Friday 8 November 2024, 10am – 12pm 
  

• Registrations: OPEN NOW. Registrations close 1 November 

• 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.