Current and ex-serving personnel are joining forces with community and business leaders ‘walking a mile in their shoes’ to honour the veteran community in the leadup to Veterans’ Health Week.
Bravery Trust Ambassadors Murray Bruce (Navy veteran) and SQNLDR Adon Lumley (Air Force) are running throughout the night with a small group of Canberra locals to achieve an ultramarathon as their grand finale to Bravery Trek.
They will complete a 40km course around Canberra before joining more than 150 supporters of the veteran community for the final 10km challenge ‘climbing mountains’ up Mt Ainslie and finishing at Parliament House.
Bravery Trek is an annual event hosted by national military charity Bravery Trust, raising funds to support ADF veterans and families facing personal hardship. The event is aligned to Veterans’ Health Week, promoting good health and social connectedness.
“Getting people together and raising awareness through Bravery Trek, is a way we can initiate and normalise some of those hard conversations and encourage people to reach out for help as soon as their financial circumstances change. We know there is an intrinsic link between financial fitness and strong mental health, and through financial counselling and financial support, we can help to keep people strong,” said Bravery Trust CEO Garth Callender.
“It doesn’t matter how fast you run or walk, or if you ride or swim the distance – Bravery Trek is all about supporting the national effort to assist veterans in need, with an emphasis on community, empowerment, and well-being.
“We receive incredible support from within the ADF and extend our thanks to the Royal Australian Air Force who jointly hosted a Bravery Trek event in Darwin, and the Australian Army for hosting our launch at Land Forces. We are also seeing growing numbers who have never served or worked in Defence signing up for the Trek to show their pride and gratitude for our serving community.”
Funds raised support the work of Bravery Trust, to provide a financial safety net for veterans and their families, and for longer term financial counselling to minimise the risk and impact of financial hardship for ADF veterans and their families.
Bravery Trust Ambassador Murray Bruce said: “It’s important to support our contemporary veterans, who can sometimes carry health challenges from their service. Being able to provide financial security to families through emergency support, counselling and education is often an invaluable step towards their recovery”
Bravery Trek has become a showcase of the Veterans’ Health Week calendar, supported by Federal Government Ministers and politicians from both sides, Service Chiefs and most importantly the current and ex-serving community. Thanks to corporate sponsors Leidos, Defence Bank, Wilson Security, Birdon, Amazon Web Services and Brooks all funds raised can go directly to program delivery.
Please make a donation and help provide veterans with the tailored support they need and deserve.
