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Generous donation from End of Steam Era Reunion (EOSER)

Navy's charity, Keeping Watch owes its very existence to the spirit and generosity of its donors. Recently, Keeping Watch was the recipient of a generous donation from End of Steam Era Reunion (EOSER) – a reunion made up of members “celebrating the times and lifestyle of the technical sailors who served in steam driven warships”.

It is not surprising that many of the EOSER members are former RAN sailors and officers who maintain a close affiliation with Navy due to their shared experiences. The EOSER was held in Canberra on 5 – 7 May 2017, the fifth reunion of this genre – the previous ones being held in Mildura, Vic 2005; Townsville, QLD, 2008; Brisbane QLD, 2011 and Mandurah, WA2014. The Canberra EOSER was attendedbybetween 300 and 450people on each of the days. The reunion was organised by the EOSR committee and featured a Meet and Greet Cocktail event on Friday evening; a formal Reunion Dinner on Saturday evening and a Sunday morning breakfast BBQ. The Committee also facilitated two Saturday morning presentations, particularly related to Asbestos, by Turner Freeman Lawyers and a DVA advocate, with over 100 attendees on each day.

RANRTF Chair RADM Brett Wolski, WO-N Gary Wight and Trustee LCDR Tristan Skousgaard were on hand to accept a cheque for $4500 from EOSER committee members EX WOMTP Kevin Assenheim and EX CPOMTP Allan Palmer. RADM Wolski said “On behalf of the RANRTF and Keeping Watch I would like to thank you and your organisation for your very kind donation and for choosing Keeping Watch as your charity of choice".

Keeping Watch assists serving Navy members during times of need by providing financial grants, to help with unforeseen hardship or emergencies.The application process is relatively simple with the form available on the Keeping Watch website. The application is staffed through chain of command and the RANRTF Office and assessed by the Keeping Watch Grants Committee.

Since its inception in 2013, Keeping Watch has provided over $100,000 in grants to serving Navy people to assist in a number of ongoing and emergency situations. For more information about the activities of Keeping Watch, or to make a tax deductible donation, please visit our donations page.

WHAT DO OUR NAVY FAMILIES SAY?

  • M Bult - HMAS Hobart

    When there was an unfortunate circumstance that resulted in financial hardship for a family member, Keeping Watch was eager to help out as much as possible. My divisional staff were more than accommodating to ensure that I understood the process, and between them and the Keeping Watch team I was constantly reassured that the help my family desperately needed at the time was being organised. Keeping Watch is the light at the end of the tunnel, you just need to reach out and ask for the help.

  • D Smith - Canberra

    I cannot thank Keeping Watch for helping us in our time of need. We were struggling with living expenses after a death in the family and I found out about Keeping Watch. I'm so glad I conatcted them to see how they could help. They were amazing throughout and the money could not have come at a better time. We are now moving forward positively and looking to the future. Thank you so much.

  • R James - Canberra

    I would highly recommend Keeping Watch if you need financial help and are a Navy family. We experienced an unexpected family crisis and we were struggling to meet daily living expenses and child care costs. Keeping Watch helped us through this difficult situation with a grant and offered some very valuable advise on how to deal with the loss. If you need help, contact Keeping Watch.