newy.com.au – A five-person team, including three Lake Macquarie residents, has completed a walk of more than 250 kilometres from Newcastle to Sydney, raising almost $10,000 for veterans’ health and people living with chronic fatigue.
Jason Becker, Matt Cotter, Danielle Hart, Matt Nash and Elizabeth Izatt set out from Fort Scratchley and followed the Great North Walk to the ANZAC Memorial in Hyde Park.
Minister for the Hunter and Swansea MP Yasmin Catley met the group outside NSW Parliament and joined the walkers for the final stretch of the Long March South.
The team includes current and former Australian Defence Force members, as well as people connected to the military through family and friends. The campaign is raising money for veterans’ health and wellbeing programs and support for people with chronic fatigue.
Held under the banner “Never left behind”, the walk also aimed to raise awareness of invisible injuries and long-term conditions, reduce stigma and highlight the need for ongoing community support.
“This walk has carried the spirit of the Hunter all the way to the heart of Sydney – resilient, generous and always ready to stand beside those doing it tough,” Ms Catley said.
“Their message is a powerful one: no one should ever be left behind. The entire team is an inspiration.”
