Members from Team Veteran take part in parkrun. Photo: Supplied.
For many Defence personnel and their families, finding connections in a new town can be challenging — but in the Illawarra, parkrun is helping bridge that gap.
As part of Mental Health Month, Invictus Australia is encouraging the Defence community around Australia to lace up and join parkruns, using movement and mateship to boost wellbeing and belonging.
Already, serving and former veterans and their families were invited along to the Wollongong parkrun last Saturday (25 October), with Shellharbour in the spotlight this Saturday (1 November).
Invictus Australia’s regional manager for Southern NSW and ACT Debbie Dimmock said the organisation’s partnership with parkrun Australia and its focus on veterans this month had last week resulted in parkrun’s “Team Veteran” rising to become the second-largest parkrun team in the country with 1676 members.
However, there was another reason the partnership between parkrun Australia and Invictus Australia had become so important to the Defence community.
“Parkrun is one of the best initiatives that has come about in a long time,” Debbie said.
“We particularly like it for the Defence community, because it really engages them.
“As you move around a lot with Defence, an important thing is to find your tribe and get socially connected.
“If you’ve been posted to Darwin for a couple of years, and then get posted to Nowra, you need to connect with people as quickly as possible.
“No matter where you live, you can usually find a parkrun.”
In fact, Debbie said there were about 60 per cent of Australians living within 5 km of a parkrun, providing an accessible way for Defence personnel to find community wherever they were posted.
She said it was also ideal because the 5 km event catered to different fitness levels and abilities, including volunteering, walking, running, taking your dog, pushing a pram, being in a wheelchair and even kids getting involved.
“For the month of October, it’s Mental Health Month, and we’re encouraging people that might not have been out and tried parkrun before to come along and see what it’s all about,” she said.
“I think the really lovely thing about parkrun is it’s surprising when you go along how many other people you already know.”
Debbie said the upcoming Shellharbour event aimed to encourage the Defence community to connect and use exercise to improve their mental and physical health.
“You just see so many amazing benefits,” she said.
“People that haven’t exercised for a long time, you can see the transformations in them as well.
“It’s those knock-on effects that are really powerful, and to make sure that people aren’t isolated.”
A NSW veteran engagement manager will greet serving, former serving and family members at the Shellharbour event.
“That is a particularly beautiful run. I’ve done it myself and it’s not the easiest parkrun … but no-one ever comes last,” she said, admitting a volunteer was always the last to cross the line.
“For some of them, it will be their very first parkrun and for some they’ll just be coming to join Team Veteran and say g’day to other members of the Defence community.”
Participants joining Team Veteran will receive a free team shirt and become part of a supportive network.
Parkrun is held every Saturday at 8 am, with the Shellharbour event at Killalea Regional Park, Killalea Dr, Shell Cove. Participants can register via the website and join Team Veteran online or at the event.
