AUSTRALIAN WAR WIDOWS NSW INTRODUCES NEW BRAND NAME

SYDNEY, 23 April 2024 – Today marks the formal launch of the Families of Veterans Guild. A new brand name for what has been known as War Widows Guild of NSW. This new brand is the name our company, Australian War Widows NSW Ltd will operate under from today onwards.

With more than half a million families of veterans in Australia and only a small segment currently eligible for support, we are filling existing gaps in the veteran support landscape.

We know that service in the defence force and its impacts have changed significantly since our beginnings in 1946, and we are responding to those changes and community expectations.

Almost 70 years ago, our founder Ms Jessie Vasey CBE OBE said: “We are now becoming an older women’s group and I feel that if we remain as such the organisation will die. We must become an inclusive group if we are to survive.”

Since this comment in 1955, we have held on to this steadfast belief. We have been listening and opening our organisation beyond the traditional widow of war to include all widows whose loved ones died as a result of their service, be it on operations, or from service-related injury or illness. Today we take the next step, we become the inclusive organisation Jessie envisaged all those years ago.

It takes a village to provide wholistic and quality support to the families of our veterans throughout their entire life journey. It is only when we as a community work together that we can fill existing gaps and improve the lives of the families of our veterans.

We all have a role to play in supporting those that stand behind those that stand for us. Want to help? Or learn more? Visit our new website www.familiesofveterans.org.au or email us at guild@fov.org.au we’d love to hear from you.

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For more information, please contact Shannon O’Mara at somara@sefiani.com.au or +61 407 770 994.

About Families of Veterans Guild

The Families of Veterans Guild (under company name: Australian War Widows NSW) is an inclusive non-for-profit organisation whose mission is to provide the defence and veteran family community with a voice, facilitate access to services, entitlements and support their social and emotional wellbeing.  

Guided Peer Support Art Therapy

Are you a defence or veteran spouse in Canberra? Navigating new postings, holding the fort while your partner is deployed or simply in need of some ‘me time’?

We invite you to join Our Space for a guided peer support session and art therapy!

The purpose of this event is to encourage spouses of current or former serving ADF personnel to engage in self-care activities, and expand their social networks by connecting with other defence and veteran spouses.

The goal is to increase social connection and decrease social isolation and loneliness, acknowledging that defence and veteran spouses may face barriers In developing and forming peer connections due to the nature of ADF service. Additionally spouses can at times be overwhelmed with the demands of supporting family, the impact of ADF service and in caring roles due to illness, injury and transitions.

The focus of this art therapy session is to encourage meaningful discussion within small groups about the experience of being a Defence/Veteran spouse or former spouse, finding commonalities and recurring themes, reducing isolation particularly in regard to the more difficult aspects of their experience. Previous workshops of a similar nature have proved to be a rich experience for participants, both due to interpersonal connection but also due to the cathartic effect of art making in a group.

• Date and time: Friday 24 May 2024 – from 4:30-6:30pm

• Location: Hotel Realm – 18 National Circuit, Barton ACT

• Registrations: now open and close on 10 May 2024

• Event is complimentary for all Veterans & Defence families

The event will start with a welcome from our CEO, Renee Wilson and information on our organisation’s re-brand. The event will then be facilitated by Jacqui (Art Therapist and Counsellor) and Deneka (Social Worker) who will take us through a two hour mixed media to allow for expression of overarching life experiences as a Defence and Veteran spouse. Participants will leave with a deepened sense of emotional and psychological self awareness.

Attendees can share as much or as little as they are comfortable, with opportunities to discuss some of the common challenges associated with their connection to ADF service. Facilitators to introduce themselves and welcome all. Some words shared around art therapy, it’s purpose and how to approach the workshop to get the most out of it. Guidelines for safe sharing and connection will also be given.

The event will include afternoon tea, art therapy and peer support.

Registration is a must, places are limited. Register below on Eventbrite or call us on 02 9267 6577.

Although this event strongly focuses on spouses, all defence and veterans’ families are welcome, no matter the status of your relationship, no matter the status of the veteran.