In partnership with the Mercury and Sunday Tasmanian, one group of extraordinary Tasmanians recently completed the Tasmanian Walking Company Foundation’s first Walk With Heart Three Capes Walk.

ELLEN BROOKSBANK

Passionate outdoor adventurer and intensive care flight paramedic Ellen Brooksbank comes from a family of many dedicated emergency service workers.

It is a job that sees her on the frontline of life and death moments, miracle rescues and sudden tragedies.

But the COVID-19 pandemic brought on new challenges and resolve to support her colleagues and the community, and sadly, like was the case for many other Tasmanian families, also private pain.

“During COVID, I wasn’t really able to see my grandparents because of the risk that I was under at work and not wanting to expose them,” Ms Brooksbank said.

“I then lost both my grandmas within a month which was pretty hard because we are a very close family.”

Ms Brooksbank said despite that heartbreak while continuing to work, she and her colleagues felt appreciation for the what they did and continue to do.

She said this trip felt like a real highlight to end the year.

“For paramedics, any emergency services or health workers, it’s their job to help people and particularly in times like this, everybody needs to step up to help,” she said,

“We’re all very aware of what was happening, and the community were trying to do the best that they could and be as supportive as they can and that was really nice to see.”

Tasmanian Walking Company Walk With Heart Three Capes Walk

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ISAAC WALL

Before he and his fiancee Chelsea could even unpack the boxes inside their new home in early April, Isaac Wall cut short his annual leave to return to the frontline.

Now based at the Royal Hobart Hospital’s ED as a senior registered nurse, the former North-West local was in the unique position of being familiar with that region’s operations and population, when the state’s outbreak spiralled.

“I think we did really well, in terms of what came out of it, because it had never been done in Tasmania before,” he said.

“I think it’s going to be a good lesson, and particularly with what’s happened in Victoria and elsewhere, I hope that we can pool our resources across the country so it’s not just state-based health care, it’s also a Commonwealth response to these outbreaks.”

JULIA SCOTT

For mother-of-two and Guide Dogs Tasmania marketing and communications co-ordinator Julia Scott, the four-day adventure was her first holiday with her husband Tom in four years.

The couple have a son and their daughter has complex support needs requiring 24-7 care so the walk was a “surreal” break together, but thoughts of their children were never far away.

“I think I’ve got the balance between work and parenting,” she said.

“I think I need to be able to work to be a good parent, but I don’t remember the last time I’ve just been able to be and not think. And to do that with (Tom) is pretty special.”

SHERRI RING

What started as a solution to her own clients’ needs to move their work from the office to home during COVID-19, turned into a new an online community wellness tool.

Energy Health director and Mind Games founder Sherri Ring developed the Home2Work program to give people ideas to help them to better deal with the impacts of working and living in isolation.

“We promised a three month program that would help Tasmanians with their mental health and it did go about a month over,” she said.

“At the same time, I did develop a whole heap of new stuff within my own business.”

Despite the success of turning a business challenge into a new opportunity, Ms Ring and her now fiance Mike Austin still have some private obstacles to overcome this year after Mike was diagnosed with a brain tumour.

His first treatment will be just before Christmas.

WILMA AHERNE

Sing Australia Devonport leader Wilma Aherne has helped keep the magic of song alive to help get people through COVID.

It’s the very vocal medicine Bronwyn Gardner believes has helped get her friend through a difficult year and pre-pandemic time.

“It was really before COVID when Wilma’s dedication showed up when her husband got ill,” Ms Gardner said.

“It’s hard when someone gets ill and to be the leader of a singing group because of all the weekly commitments.

“I thought it was rather generous of her to keep going all last year and this year during COVID.

“Even though we all believe singing is good for your health and mental wellbeing it was starting to get obvious it was even more valuable when she was nursing her husband and I really admired that.”

While numbers in the local choir had dropped off, Ms Aherne hoped numbers could return to full voice next year.

SIMON TERHELL

St Vincent de Paul Society Hobart manages three food vans that travel across the city six nights a week and when COVID hit demand for help surged.

Community services and youth co-ordinator Simon Terhell said there were fears the service would have to halt but a rethink of assets saw the service begin from one of their shopfronts.

“There was a lot of uncertainty for people living on the streets and what sort of help they could get,” he said.

“There was an initial increase in people who hadn’t accessed our service before and people looking to get food to take home to their families.

“Then more recently we have seen a lot of visa holders and international students looking for help, so that’s been a bit scary seeing them doing it so tough as charities navigate what help can be offered to them.”

Mr Terhell said the pandemic had helped identify opportunities for better collaboration between charities to help those in need best navigate the system and services in place.