National Sirens Foundation Limited

The National Heart2Heart Foundation was established in early 2023 (20222023 reporting year) to oversee and assist in coordinating the Heart2Heart Walk. This long distance walk was planned and organised to To safely and securely walk approximately 3,000 kilometres from Lambert Centre of Australia (Heart of Country) to Australia s Parliament House (Heart of Nation) in order to champion the Objectives of the Heart2Heart Walk 2023. Commencing on Saturday 1st July 2023 from Lambert Centre and arriving at Australia s Parliament House via the National Emergency Services and National Police Memorials, on Thursday 28 September 2023, immediately prior to National Police Remembrance Day (Friday 29th September 2023). The 'Objectives' of the Walk were to: 1. Raise awareness around the impacts of First Responder mental health and wellbeing of serving and retired (veteran) First Responders, and their families; 2. Seek commitment from the Federal Government to implement all of the 14 recommendations from the 2019 Australian Senate Inquiry: The people behind 000: mental health of our first responders , and specifically into First Responder Suicide, PostTraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Premature Mortality; 3. Raise funds in order to: a. Undertake academic research to obtain empirical evidence into the impacts upon serving and retired First Responder mental health and wellbeing to devise strategies to deal with same; and, b. Explore and provide meaningful and positive education opportunities for First Responders, past and present, and their Families, to better support them all. 4. Establish a National First Responder Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission to provide greater command, communication, coordination and leadership of effort, to complement the government commitment to Defence and Defence Veteran s. This longdistance walk (the 'Heart2Heart Walk) was successfully accomplished as planned, commencing on 01 July 2023 from Lambert Centre of Australia (Northern Territory) and completed on 28 September 2023 at Australia's Parliament House (Canberra). The walk followed a planned route, risk managed with full jurisdictional approval throughout its (approximately) 2,800km long duration. The walkers travelled through the Northern Territory, South Australia, New South Wales, Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory in completing this challenging endeavour. The successful completion of the walk was physically and mentally challenging on participants (all of whom were veteran First Responders and family members) and the Heart2Heart Foundation entered a hiatus following the walk s completion. Moving forward, many of the Foundation s aims and objectives remain to be achieved. With a new Board, new energy and a rebranding and strategic direction review underway, the Foundation is looking to how best it can achieve its aims and objectives through the 20242025 financial/reporting year and beyond.