Shed and Vets shoulder-to-shoulder

THE Vietnam Veterans Association of Australia Ballarat Sub-Branch has found a new home at the Ballarat East Community Men’s Shed.

The VVAA group has offered welfare, support and advocacy services, and a sense of community to Ballarat’s Vietnam veterans for over 40 years.

They will temporarily use one of BECS’ sheds as a social space, holding fortnightly barbecues, and hope the site will become their permanent base.

VVAA Ballarat Sub-Branch secretary Gordon Hunt said the lunchtime sausage sizzles are held every second Wednesday from 12pm, welcoming Vietnam servicepeople, and younger “contemporary” veterans from Somalia to Afghanistan into the fold.

“We want them to know that we’re always here for them. We’re a group they can rely on. Cumulatively, we have over 200 years of experience,” he said.

“They can turn up to the barbecues, eat, have a soft drink, and chat to their peers. They don’t have an association of their own because they’re too few, and they’re dispersed, so we can help out there, provide distractions, connections and community. 

“There are no more Vietnam veterans being made, but if we can get more young people to join us, then they could end up continuing the Association.”

The local VVAA committee have members in common with BECS. They have great plans to contribute to the facility.

“All of our members are 70-plus. We’re going to level-out and concrete the paths to make the site more accessible for people of all abilities,” Mr Hunt said.

“We’ll put up shade cloths, do some landscaping and put in fixed seating.”

VVAA Ballarat Sub-Branch ex-president Bill Dobell said the collaboration has a lot of potential.

“It’s going to allow us to learn from the Men’s Shed group. We have skills of value to them, and vice versa,” he said.

“Because we have a venue to hold these barbecues, it helps with veterans’ mental health.

“There are a lot of mental health issues in the veteran community, including suicides, but we know events like ours help because they can talk to likeminded people and have fun.”

BECS’ committee voted unanimously to share their space with VVAA Ballarat. Treasurer, Glenn Arkell agreed the veterans’ “expertise and experiences can benefit” their members.

“A new influx of people coming and going can also help them because it’s someone else to connect with,” he said.

For committee member Lynton Roberts, the partnership is a “win-win,” where the men can continue to “talk shoulder-to-shoulder” with others like them.

“There’s a synergy between the VVAA and us here, working with men, the same age demographic, and some people who have experienced a loss in their life,” he said.

“Normally when a community group comes in here, we have a hire fee or donation to help us keep our facility open, but we’ve waived that with the VVAA guys because they’ll contribute in other ways.”

Last week, Member for Buninyong Michaela Settle visited the VVAA Ballarat barbecue to announce an upcoming round of capital grants for veterans’ groups.

Funding packages between $5000 and $50,000 will be available to successful associations.

“They’re to improve facilities… and anything groups might need,” she said.

“I know the concreting plans will benefit both the Vietnam Veterans and BECS groups, so I really encourage them to put an application in.

“The applications close on the 12th of April… and I’m happy to write a letter of support because I’d love to see those works happen here.”