'Quilts of Valour' Australia

 

Helen Comport, Past President of the Inner Wheel Club of Berwick, was our Guest Speaker at Wednesday's Club meeting. 

 

She told the personal story behind the formation of the Australian Charity 'Quilts of Valour', which aims to award quilts to Veterans and Service Personnel of the Australian Defence Force and our allies, as well as the immediate family of Veterans and Defence Personnel who have passed.

 

Helen's second son, Matthew, was critically injured in a Black Hawk helicopter crash while serving with the Australian army in 2010, during his 3^rd tour of Afghanistan.  He was airlifted to a US hospital in Germany, where he was in intensive care for 10 days before being brought back to Australia.

 

During his stay in the US hospital in Germany, he was deeply touched when given a 'Quilt of Valour' made by the Americans.  It was such a powerful symbol to him in a traumatic time that he felt Australia should establish a similar process.

 

After his recovery, he and Helen decided to set up the 'Quilts of Valour' Australia charity and from local beginnings in 2012, it now operates across Australia, with contacts in all States and Territories.  Nationally, Quilters have flocked to the cause and the number of quilts being produced annually has increased significantly.

 

The charity operates solely on donations and the goodwill of the cloth suppliers and the Quilters, who produce a wide range of quilts.

 

Two very happy outcomes from the story are that Matthew married the American nurse who cared for him in Germany and through the 'Quilts of Valour' project, Helen was able to reconnect with her cousin and estranged father.

 

At the end of her presentation, Helen presented Charlie Anderson with a 'Quilt of Valour' in recognition of his distinguished service in the Royal Australian Navy.

 

Thanks Helen for a very interesting and emotional presentation.