For almost 100 years, Legacy has helped provide financial and social support to veterans’ loved ones. Tara Murray speaks with former Legacy executive officer Barbara Leach about the support Legacy provided her family following her husband’s death.
When Barbara Leach was going through tough times after her husband was killed in a car accident in the 1980’s, Legacy was there.
They were there if she needed support and provided her two children with plenty of activities as they dealt with the death of their father.
Barbara would later become a volunteer with Legacy and was the group’s executive officer for 20 years.
“My late husband was a commander in the Royal Australian Navy,“ Barbara said.
“We were heading to where we catch up with other navy friends we met up with every year. We had a car accident 20 kilometres from where we were going and he was killed in the accident.
“From there my mother-in-law contacted Legacy a couple of weeks later. My oldest son was in Princes of Wales Hospital for three months. When we came back to Melbourne we were contacted by Legacy.
“They offered all sorts of things especially for the boys as they were young…activities they had for the junior Legatees.“
Barbara said the support offered to the boys by Legacy made a world of a difference to them.
She said they were able to meet and talk with other people with similar experiences.
“My youngest son, who is now 45, was 10 at the time his father died and had a lot of major problems through it,“ she said.
“One of his friends who he met through it who was the same age as him, they are the closest friends. They are just best friends and have been since they first met.
“For my boys to go on the camps with children going through what they were going through, that was really important for children, they have got the support of other children.”
Having seen the work that Legacy could do, Barbara put her hand up to help.
She became one of the first support Legatees and was inducted into Legacy in September 1991.
“I was the only female at that time, I got really heavily involved on their fundraising and marketing committee and quite a lot of other things,“ Barbara said.
“I was living in the Essendon area then and I ended up being an area co-ordinator for others who wanted to help out.”
Barbara would end up talking with many of the widows involved with the Essendon, Footscray and Williamstown groups, providing them with a female voice to listen to.
These days she is still involved with widows’ group in Essendon, organising regular events.
As the Australian community celebrates Legacy Week this week, Legacy is this year focusing on Little Badge Big Impact – the notion that even the smallest of donations will have a real and heart-warming impact on veterans’ families.
Like many other charities, Legacy’s fundraising has been impacted by the pandemic, with volunteers unable to sell badges.
The community can show its support by making an online donation to Legacy or purchasing Legacy merchandise via an online store.
Nationally, Legacy cares for 43,000 veterans’ families, including widow/ers in their senior years, younger families with children, and veterans’ dependents with a disability.
Barbara said it was important for people to still donate as there is a lot of work that needs to be done.
“Some people may not think much goes on in Legacy these days not having conflicts like we used to have.
“There is a big need there. Funds to help with Legatees’ activities, widows, school for children, parents and disabled dependents.
“If people can donate, please do because its certainly necessary.“
One of those that has been helped by the donations is Heidi, a navy veteran and a single mum to four boys, with her oldest two boys on the Autism spectrum.
Legacy has helped Heidi and her boys by assisting with bills, school fees and uniforms and even speech therapy lessons.
As a bonus, Heidi’s family has also found friendship and support with the Legacy volunteers and Legatees they interact with.
Details: www.legacyweek.com.au.
