On behalf of the Emergency Services Foundation we would like to thank you for your interest to support our Foundation through a fundraising activity.
If you choose to fundraise for the Foundation you will help improve the mental health and wellbeing of those who help us as Victoria’s emergency services personnel. The funds you raise will play a vital role in advancing how we prevent, promote and address mental health across the sector.
Prior to fundraising it is essential that you:
- Read the Emergency Services Foundation’s Fundraising Guidelines which outline your obligations in fundraising for us.
- Complete a Fundraising Activity Application Form which provides us with details about what your fundraising plans.
It is important to note that fundraising legislation requires you to wait until this application is approved by the Emergency Services Foundation prior to publicising, fundraising or holding your planned activity. Please allow up to five working days to hear back from us about your application.
If you have any questions about submitting your application, please email: fundraising@esf.com.au
How are fundraising applications assessed?
The Emergency Services Foundation will approve applications where:
- there is sufficient written information included in your signed Fundraising Activity Application Form
- the application reflects and complies with the Emergency Services Foundation Fundraising Guidelines
- the activity/event does not involve any unnecessary risks
- the activity/event will produce a reasonable return (if relevant, after expenses have been deducted)
Recent Fundraising Stars
The campaign is important to me because the work is important and the Vic Pol family became my own family when I joined in 1995. I left in 2004 and only have positive memories and was 'fortunate' to leave with good mental health. I've seen first hand the toll that this work takes on emergency services and we cannot as a community continue to expect them to do more and more without nurturing them. 'You simply cannot pour from an empty cup'. The events of the last few years had me wondering along with other like minded people what could be done to assist long term? The 365 campaign was born out of inspiration from Dutchy and with his consent we tweaked it to what it is now.
I am tired of seeing those emails or posts, that another one my friends or colleagues has succumbed to their mental health issues. We need to break the stigma attached to mental health across the emergency service sector. Its ok not to be ok! We see and deal with confronting scenes that have an impact on us, one way or another. Just because we help people daily, doesn’t mean that we are immune from needing that help ourselves. Through the Side by Side Kokoda Trek, I want to help raise funds – one million dollars if I can – to improve mental health support services for ALL of Victoria’s emergency services, both operational and support.”
At the end of the day, emergency service workers are normal too…. how we sleep… how we laugh… how we cry is all normal. What we sometimes see isn’t normal…that’s where we differ and that’s where we sometimes need help to keep on track. Organisations like the Emergency Services Foundation work help to keep us on track. The love of Lego is normal too. If we can raise funds for ESF by selling Emergency Service minifigures that fit with the world’s best known building block brands, they can help our colleagues across the sector. It will be a win for us all.”
You can order minifigures here https://www.thebigbrick.com/22-minifigures
ESF is proudly partnered with the 2022 Victoria Police & Emergency Services Games to promote physical and mental health wellbeing across the sector. Find out more about the games here.
At our patient’s very worst day, we are there for them, this urge to help has been with us all our lives. We know the risks of our jobs as first responders, exposure to trauma is something we try to prepare for, with the help of the ESF we can make stronger connections to the care we need in order to keep doing what we love, help our patients. That’s why I fundraise for the ESF.
Mental health issues like PTSI are at a crisis point in the emergency services sector. Too many members of the emergency services ‘family’ are suffering as a direct result of their exposure to trauma while serving our community. Raising funds for the ESF means that it can be addressed as a sector wide approach, because let’s face, it we are all in this together.
