Kevin’s walking for a cause close to his heart

An ex-STAR group officer will make a marathon walk to raise funds and awareness for veterans and emergency services personnel struggling with PTSD.

Kevin Baker and his SmartBar employees will make a 42km walk to raise money and awareness for an important cause. Picture: AAP/ROY VANDERVEGT

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With 10 years in STAR Group and two years doing private security work in Iraq, Kevin Baker has been in some extreme circumstances.

He has seen the impact of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) on his colleagues — as well as military veterans, including his father.

“My dad was a sailor on the (warship HMAS) Melbourne when it had the collision with the Voyager (in 1964),” Mr Baker says.

“Eighty-two of his mates went down with the ship and he suffered with PTSD after that.

“It was never really spoken about, they were told to move on and not discuss it and talk about it.”

Mr Baker, 50, and his employees at Lonsdale-based automotive business SmartBar will trek 42km along the coast in the Walk for a Veteran event starting from Seacliff later this month.

“In my work, I obviously encountered high-risk situations, and worked alongside people who at that time dealt with everything OK but when they came back they experienced PTSD,” Mr Baker says.

“One of the pillars of dealing with PTSD is being able to talk about the situations you’ve been through and to share and communicate those feelings.”

As a sponsor of the event, SmartBar is raising funds and awareness for organisations that support veterans and emergency services’ mental wellbeing programs.

“It’s to get an understanding of what people have been through and how they do or don’t cope when they come back,” Mr Baker says.

“To be able to discuss what you’ve been through is a critical part of PTSD.

“It’s a long 42km walk, so why not communicate and talk while you’re doing it?”

The event, on July 27, begins at Seacliff Surf Life Saving Club at 6am and will continue to Largs Bay before walkers turn around and finish with a family-friendly celebration at Henley and Grange RSL.

For more information or to donate, visit mycause.com.au/events/veteransmartbarwalk

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Originally published as Kevin’s walking for a cause close to his heart