ABPA - Australian Bush Poets Association

Wonderful news Heather - Sincere congratulations to you both and like everyone else I will really look forward to hearing how the launch went.

Thanks very much Jeff and Catherine. The launch was an incredible success. It was on the 7th anniversary of Black Saturday but the atmosphere and the speeches given were all very positive. There was a really positive vibe in the room. Craig Lapsley who runs disaster management in Victoria launched the book and was waxing lyrical about it.

It looks like the book will deliver everything Catherine and I recognised in the stories in the first place: understanding, healing, recognition and future planning. Getting some very good feed back.

The book is already being used and quoted from by Dr Rob Gordon, the clinical psychologist who deals with disaster relief in Victoria (and NSW too I think) and Craig Lapsley. Rob Gordon said it should be read by every health professional that deals with disaster and I think it might be used as a training tool in that area.

A resounding success and now it's a matter of distributing the books and thinking "what's next?" I thought today it would be good to record where people are up to now - seven years on. What WAS I thinking? !!!!!!

Bewdy

Did you say a poem for the mob at the launching

Indeed I did.

Heather
Certainly sounds like an achievement to be proud of.
Congratulations
Val W

Brilliant! Thanks Heather, it's wonderful to hear it - an incredible success indeed!

Fantastic news Heather. A wonderful achievement. I hope you are as delighted as you so richly deserve to be.
All the best.

Thanks Val

Will have to catch up and show you some time Robyn. Soon hopefully.

Heather

I've only just seen this post Heather and I am just blown away! What an incredible project. You and Catherine should feel extremely proud. Surely "The Long Way Home" would help many many people if it was available for wide distribution. Organisations like "Beyond Blue" etc come to mind. A hearty congratulations from me!! and I'm with Gary....if & when 'the list' eventuates please include my name.
How wonderful!.............XX

It's been a labour of love Glenny. We are getting amazing feedback. Friends told me they can hear the voices of people they know (we could but it's pleasing to know others can too). Run off my feet with people wanting them - the book is free and we are making sure they go to fire affected communities here and elsewhere initially where we hope they will be helpful in healing and understanding what others went through. There's a lot of judgement and misunderstanding after a disaster event and I think if people can hear what others were thinking, what they felt and why they did things there might be a new level of understanding - and recognition. Also good for friends, family and the wider community to know exactly what it is like to be fire affected - and I don't just mean losing a house. The first 300 books went in 5 days..

It's just a shame we can't sell it (i'd never have to work again! ). If we have to reprint and fund it ourselves then we can sell it and it will be available to everyone. See what happens.

Heather