I am not waiting til the weekend to share this series of posts and when you get to the end I think you will understand why.

The first three posts for this week are a little special as they come from one family, culminating in a very special post by Phil, father and step father to Emily and Callan, both Navy veterans. There is something special about arranging quilts and bags for multi generations in the one family and I am really pleased to say that this family is just one of many families we have looked after. “Across my 13 years of service in the Royal Australian Navy, I was deployed on Operation Slipper in 2014 and Operation Manitou in 2017/18. On both deployments, I received a very special parcel from Aussie Hero Quilts, and I still cherish my quilts and laundry bags today. The hours that the AHQ community put into making sure those of us deployed receive these handmade items are genuinely hard to overstate. Each one carries the message that home has not forgotten you, and that a group of Australians you may never meet are thinking of you and wish you home safe. On deployment, that kind of reminder is worth more than most people at home will ever realise. It lifts morale on the hard days, gives you something from home to hold onto when you are a long way from it, and turns a small rack into somewhere that feels a little bit yours. Years on from my last deployment, my quilt and laundry bag still lives in my house. What Jan-Maree and the AHQ volunteers do quietly is one of the most meaningful acts of support that deployed personnel receive, and I will always be grateful for it.”

Yesterday I shared Emily’s post. Today I am sharing the second post from this family of veterans. Today is Callan’s turn and tomorrow will be the third post in the series. “Receiving my Aussie Hero Quilt during Operation Manitou was sensational. Not only was it a nice surprise to see the customisation my wife had worked on with the amazing team, it also added that little bit of home to my rack after long days.”

We have made lots of quilts and bags for family groups and so I really wanted to demonstrate that with some posts during our series of 15th Anniversary Laundry Bags. In the last two days I have shared photos of Emily Pyke and Callan McDonald and today it is the last recipient of their family, Philip Pyke OAM. Last but definitely not least, Phil has created an absolutely beautiful post for us. I love running Aussie Hero Quilts, and it truly never gets old when I hear the impact our efforts have on others but this post really touched me. Phil has scrolled back through loads of our facebook and blog posts to capcture these photos and it is a real trip down memory lane for me. This is such a gift for our volunteers so thank you Phil. Thank you so much. This really means a lot.

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

Jan-Maree xx