At Gallagher Bassett we continually strive to go beyond for our clients by understanding the unique challenges they face. Stepping outside our daily duties this week, a delegation from GB joined Victoria Police in the final leg of the Head 2 Head Walk. This fundraising initiative saw Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton and the Secretary of the Police Association of Victoria, Sergeant Wayne Gatt walk from opposite ends of the state to raise funds and awareness for police mental health. An epic journey spanning 23 days and a combined 1,000 kilometres.
With representatives from GB’s Victoria Police claims team, we joined a contingent of serving and veteran officers in Wangaratta to walk 21kms alongside Chief Commissioner Ashton on the final passage of his long journey. Traversing the Victoria countryside at a brisk pace, we took in more than the picturesque bush and farmlands. We heard personal stories about the struggles, scars and stigma that officers are afflicted with as a result of the challenging work they do.
Sponsoring the event was an important part of showing our support to Victoria Police, but physically enduring the burning muscles and screaming blisters (after only one day of walking) gave us all a profound sense of awe for the mental fortitude and perseverance that Chief Commissioner Ashton and Sergeant Gatt demonstrated over the 3 weeks of their campaign. A journey that in many ways is analogous to the ongoing battle of mental illness- struggling with pain and uncertainly but stoically moving forward. An odyssey made easier to bare with their support crews, Sergeant Gatt reflected that the hardest part to endure was the 5km he walked alone.
Many of the officers who participated forwent the luxury of a comfortable bed at the end of a long day of walking, instead camping out in a valiant effort to raise as much money as possible. The walk concluded with Chief Commissioner Ashton and Sergeant Gatt meeting and shaking hands amongst the fanfare of the crowd and music of the police band. As a result of this herculean endeavour, over $593,000 was raised for the Retired Peer Support Officer Program, an organisation that is run by 60 former police officers who generously volunteer their time.
“The walk gave us an opportunity to engage with some of the retired peer support officers and gain a real understanding of what an amazing job they do providing care and support to ex members who have been doing it tough and suffering in silence,” said Andrea Moffat, Business Account Manager for Victoria Police.
The dedication and comradery that we witnessed was truly inspiring. Engaging with our clients outside of our roles provides us with a renewed sense of how important the work that we do at GB is for the health of our clients, and by extension our communities. As our relationship moves into its 15th year, our pride to be serving Victorian Police strengthens as they bravely serve our society.
