Redcliffe RSL support workers help get veterans to the Invictus Games

TWO support workers from an RSL branch north of Brisbane went to great lengths to get ex-servicemen and women ready for the Invictus Games.

Redcliffe RSL Sub-Branch workers Sharon Baker and Rosemary Mountford are playing a unique role for the five sponsored Moreton Bay region Invictus Games athletes.

Sharon Baker and Rosemary Mountford are the team behind the team.

The Redcliffe RSL is sponsoring five athletes from the Moreton Bay region to compete in the 2018 Invictus Games which began on Saturday.

But for many servicemen and women, just getting out of bed can be a difficult enough task so getting them to the games takes a strong support network.

That’s where Redcliffe RSL Sub-Branch workers Ms Baker and Ms Mountford come into the picture as former servicewomen themselves.

The pair made a pact with local sitting volleyball competitors Rebecca Kuenstner and Carrie-Anne Bishop to get them to Sydney.

“The girls knew I played,” Ms Baker said.

“They said ‘can you coach us to get into the team?’, so we said if one got into the team we’d come as supporters, but the best part was they both got in.”

“But we’re not only supporting Bec (Kuenstner) and Bish (Bishop), we’re going to there for the whole five.”

As support workers for veterans in the Redcliffe Peninsula region, Ms Baker and Ms Mountford understand how pivotal they can be for the mental and emotional wellbeing of athletes.

“For them it’s to realise the importance for support of something like this to bring them back to society and getting them involved again,” Ms Mountford said.

“ Some vets don’t want to leave their house so to actually get them out to train is a big step. Getting out of bed might be a step forward this week, next week it might be having a coffee, next might be socialising and doing something like push bike rides.”

The Invictus Games finishes on Saturday.