Another week of the Tales of the Travelling 15th Anniversary laundry bag... enjoy!

Today's post features a couple who work together on Aussie Hero Quilts and bags. What is special about them is that as soon as they finish a request they contact me for the next by writing "What do you want me to do next?" What is extra special is that they take on the quilts that others won't. Maybe they want an usuaul image or theme that is not easy to do. Joy and Allan, with the help of their extended family have never even come close to letting me down. They are a pretty special couple.

"Hi, My name is Joy and I have dabbled in many crafts from a young age. Over the years I have contributed to many community projects. I found a love of quilting in 2009 when I made quilt from my first grandchild.nbsp; By 2016 the family complained they were drowning in quilts. I went looking for an outlet for my quilting obsession. I discovered Aussie Hero Quilts by accident one day while scrolling the internet. I initially thought I would start with one quilt and see if I liked the experience.

Ten years, 306 Quilts and 200 laundry bags later I think I am hooked. A few years ago, Allan, my husband, became involved painting many requests that were too difficult to applique or there was no fabric was available for. Since then Jan-Maree regularly sends me tricky requests that keep quilting for AHQ challenging and interesting. Cheers Joy

Hi my name is Allan Hodges and this is my AHQ story. It all started when my dear wife asked if I could paint an easy small picture on a piece of material for her to include on a quilt she was making for AHQ. That simple task has developed into some very complex designs over the past 4 years and there is now hardly a quilt coming out of Joys sewing room which does not have some of my artwork on it.

I have never been in the services, but, I have lived all my life in the Navy town of Bomaderry (Nowra) in NSW and I am proud to be able to support all the services by giving some of my time to AHQ. I enjoy the challenge of painting something out of the ordinary and getting it to look like it is supposed too. I often call and ask my grandchildren if they can tell me what I have created and most of the time I seem to manage a positive reply.

To all the volunteers associated with AHQ keep up your great work.

Regards Allan Hodges"

In 2016, myself and 220 others deployed to the Middle East on HMAS Darwin, on a seven month deployment. During the deployment, Aussie Hero Quilts sent us fantastic individualised Quilts, reminding us of the support we had back in the Australian community. The effect on the morale of the crew when receiving the Quilts can never be understated, providing a genuine lift while away from family. Bravo Zulu Distilling is a veteran owned and operated business, proudly supporting Aussie Hero Quilts. Thank you to all for what you do supporting past and present ADF members.” Note, if you can't make it to the 15th Anniversary Dinner then you can still buy some of the Aussie Hero Quilts 15th Anniversary Gin by Bravo Zulu Distillery - https://lnkd.in/gjfPtVJn

Happy 15th Anniversary AHQ! What a wonderful milestone for the AHQ team. Thank you, Jan-Maree and the team, for all the years of dedication, perseverance and care for our defence community.

My most memorable interaction with AHQ came when I was heading into hospital for an extended period of treatment. My hospitalisation was sudden and unexpected, but somehow Jan-Maree found out and reached out to me. She asked if I had an AHQ quilt, and when she found out I didn’t, one arrived within 48 hours. How she managed to do her magic I’ll never know. My hospitalisation was during COVID, and after one of the nurses fell ill, the hospital was locked down and all patients isolated on my floor. I spent two weeks in my hospital room isolated from everyone except Squish, my service animal.

The quilt was a daily reminder of the care Jan-Maree and her team had for me and a little splash of brightness for my otherwise stark room. This act of kindness during a period of great stress and isolation was a wonderful gift. It connected me to the world outside and reminded me every day that there were people cheering me on and supporting me.

What may appear to be a small gesture can have a huge impact on an individual in a time of need. Since this time, Squish and I have cherished our ongoing interactions with AHQ and the team of makers and supporters. Thank you for the work you do and the difference you make in people’s lives”

Another great bloke sharing his story today and this time an author who has donated his books to our fundraising efforts. “What a great privilege to be linked to this incredible network of veterans as a result of our connection and support of Aussie Hero Quilts. My service dates back to the 80s and 90s, predominantly with 3RAR and 2/4RAR. I started off as a soldier before being commissioned, and was fortunate enough to spend a year attached to the New Zealand Army and, later, two years with the British Parachute Regiment. I credit my almost 15 years in the ADF as the foundation of my professional and personal journey, following my medical discharge. From working for CARE Australia in Timor Leste, various roles with Commonwealth and NSW government agencies, to my current appointment as National General Manager for Scouts Australia, the fabric of my military service is woven through all of it. When I received my quilt back in 2024, I couldn’t believe how Gail had managed to capture my service so incredibly well. The dedication and commitment of everyone at AHQ is inspiring. Congratulations on your first 15 years Aussie Hero Quilts, and thank you for your incredible support to our veterans and their families.”

I love the fact that Glen sent us a very appropriate photo to go with his Aussie Hero Quilts story. “WGCDR Glen Burcher deployed to a NATO embedded position within HEADQUARTERS RESOLUTE SUPPORT, in March 2019. His 10 month deployment as Chief - International Engagement saw him based in central Kabul, and his role required him to regularly travel within Kabul. His position required him to coordinate donations from NATO and Non-NATO partner countries, which were used to fund projects to enhance the capabilities of the Afghan National Army and Afghan Police. Glen’s request for a quilt and laundry bag was processed by Aussie Hero Quilts and passed to Susan G, a Brisbane based quilter. His request for a Royal Enfield themed quilt also included a desire to include references to the Distinguished Gentlemen’s Ride (DGR), an annual charity motorbike ride which he had participated in, and been a volunteer for in Sydney. Ironically, Susan’s husband Jeff was the DGR Brisbane organiser, and he was able to source a number of collectable rider’s patches and panels that Susan lovingly incorporated into Glen’s quilt and laundry bag. Glen remembers receiving his AHQ package in theatre, and being blown away by the craftsmanship, love and detail that had gone into creating them; which also included a small, quilted wall-hanging. The wall-hanging had been personally signed by the Sydney team that organise Distinguished Gentlemen’s Rides globally, and which continues to raise money for Movember (the men’s mental health charity) and Prostate Cancer. Glen wrote back to Susan and Jeff straightway to thank them for the quilt, laundry-bag and wall-hanging, and posted them some Afghan gifts as a token of his appreciation. His quilt and the wall-hanging have been displayed on the wall of his office, and the laundry bag was deployed again during the Afghan Non-Combatant Evacuation mission (August 2021), and during other major exercises in Australia since.”

Till next time..... keep spreading the word and happy stitching!

Jan-Maree xx