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CONNECT. CREATE. RENEW.
We fund creative making experiences that help people slow down, focus and reconnect.
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866+
Participants since 2019
100%
Direct Funding
2018 Est.
7+ years of impact
Reach
ACT, NSW, QLD,VIC
Who We Serve

Veterans and defence families, first responders, farmers and rural communities, carers, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

How We Help

We provide fully-funded places in traditional craft workshops including blacksmithing, bladesmithing, leatherwork, floristry, and print making — delivered at Tharwa or via our mobile Big Black Truck.

Where Your Donation Goes

Every dollar donated goes to delivering craft courses for participants – covering their materials, instruction, and making experience.

What Happens When You Make Something

There’s something that happens when your hands are busy and your mind can breathe. At the forge, in the printmaking studio, stitching leather or arranging flowers — the work asks for your full attention, and in return, it gives something back.

Our participants describe it better than we can.

“

The Toll Ambulance Rescue Helicopter Wellbeing Team would like to express our heartfelt thanks for the opportunity provided to so many of our staff to attend courses at Tharwa. Between those of us who have already attended we agree that this sort of opportunity is very valuable for first responders. To spend time with other responders learning a completely new skill that includes the opportunity for artistic expression, we believe it has great benefit for wellbeing. We found the course provided moments of mindfulness, opportunities to get to know each other outside of a work context, a chance to get away in a great environment, and once we were finished, a great pair of beautiful knives we can be proud of. Our instructor was excellent, guided us appropriately and was there to help us rectify our mistakes. There is a palpable feeling of excitement around our base around these courses.

- Cam O'Leary
Toll Ambulance Rescue Helicopter
Critical Care Paramedic & Peer Support Officer
“

The knife making course was an amazing opportunity. At the time I had just found out I was suffering depression and anxiety as a result of work, the 2019/20 fire season and family pressures. The course provided me 2 days to focus on something other than my mental health, which at the time was an amazingly relief. It was a great opportunity to chat to others from the RFS who were involved in the 2019/20 fire season and talk openly about how we were coping/not coping with mental stress we were all placed under. I would like to thank The Cuppacumbalong Foundation for the experience and the joy of making a knife from scratch and fostering better mental health.

- Sean
RFS
“

I thoroughly enjoyed both the task at hand and the conversations and ‘war stories’ of the past fire season with other RFS Members. After an immensely challenging fire season and the advent of COVID 19 restrictions, this was an exceptional form of decompression in an idyllic environment. 

While garden sculpture is not something I would naturally gravitate to, the course facilitators gave me the confidence to just go with it (realising my inner creativity!). I now have some nice garden sculpture that reminds me of what we went through and the team effort required to get to the other side. I would absolutely be an advocate for this approach being continued within not only the RFS but other crew in ESA aboth HQ and volunteers as well.

- David
RFS
“

It was a great opportunity to reflect on the challenges experienced during the past bushfire season while being able to have an informal debrief with other colleagues within the service about how they had coped, how their families dealt with their absence and reflect on the trauma of the season and how it impacted each of us individually. While not always a comfortable topic for me to discuss, I felt it was a safe environment, while also feeling a sense of achievement as we progressed through each stage of making our knives. I thank them for everything that they do and thank those who have provided the funding! It was a great experience and I would recommend it to anyone working within Emergency Response/Management

- ACT Paramedic
Bushfire Recovery
“

Praise from one of our members who was there this week. They cannot say enough about how good the two days were. He was very anxious on Monday but soon relaxed and loved it and wants to attend about once a month to do more, as he feels this has helped him more than anything since he was diagnosed with PTSD.

Great work Foundation people! You’re doing wonders for our folkes.

- AFP First Responders
“

At the end of it, you’ve got something to take away, to go, “Look, I’ve made something”. Not something that just looks good, but something that is there, that’s used, that has value.

- Veteran
“

The courses have been particularly valuable to our members suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and other trauma-related illnesses. These members have described their time spent at Tharwa as a ‘healing and cathartic experience’ in a safe environment, where they engaged in supportive courses that provided participants with the opportunity to work alongside people with shared experiences, create something lasting and functional, and learn new skills.

- Australian Federal Police
“

 I saw a change in him after the course, he became more interpersonal with other people, rather than just isolated, which seems to be a tendency with PTSD. But this program gives them something to talk generally about, and in a positive way.

- Partner of a veteran living with PTSD
“

I wasn’t sure I really wanted to undertake the course when it was offered. The opportunity to chat with other RFS members about the 2019/20 fire season while learning a new skill was very beneficial. Throughout the course there were moments where I thought what I was making wouldn’t be any good. The instructors help guide while building self confidence at the same time. After the course I was more aware of how much the 2019/20 fires season had taken out of me and those around me. To have a tangible thing to show for my work that was much better than I expected helped with building back some confidence and pride. The final product that I use daily is also a reminder that the service, my brigade and The Foundation felt the effort I and all others put in was worth while. The course provided me with an opportunity for an overdue mental health break.

- Simon, RFS Volunteer
“

 A shared experience. The Veteran’s and Families Maker Program is the only thing that’s been offered for families. We’ve always been left out as partners.

- Partner of a wounded veteran