About Us
Our Story / Why we do this
At The Rising Sun Charitable Trust, we could not be more passionate about or committed to, helping families of our fallen soldiers and helping soldiers and their families struggling with PTSD.
In early 2021, our founding Directors, Neil Trigwell and Chris Suttie came together with a common purpose. They shared a dedication to giving back and showing gratitude to those service men, women and their families, who desperately need our help.
The Committee of Management for The Rising Sun Charitable Trust has been established under the auspices of The Rising Sun Charitable Trust’s Deed/Constitution. Founding members of the Committee are:
Neil Trigwell
7 year Army Veteran from 1 RAR and 5/6 RVR; In recognition of his distinguished service to our country, Neil has been awarded the following:
- ICB – Infantry Combat Badge
- Australian Active Service Medal
- Afghanistan Campaign Medal
- Australian Service Medal – Solomon Islands II
- Australian Defence Medal
- NATO/ISAF Medal
Chris Suttie
Management Consultant; Owner of Pinnacle HJWP Pty Ltd, established in 2012, as a management consulting firm specialising in provision of technical, strategic, risk and commercial advisory services to the Infrastructure sector; Honours Degree in Engineering for Monash University (1996); MBA from Monash University and University of Illinois (2003)
For families of soldiers Killed In Action and soldiers and families severely affected by PTSD, benefits provided by Government and other organisations, are very often not enough and/or are not provided in a timely manner, leaving soldiers and families unable to provide for the “essentials” of day to day living, including ensuring that soldiers and their families can access the health/medical care they need, when they need it, without worrying about their ability to put food on the table.
More than 26,000 Australian soldiers served in Afghanistan on Operation Slipper (2001-2014). For them and their families, this was a time of joy and grief, pride and loss. In more than a decade of operations, 41 Australian Army soldiers died in Afghanistan. Many more were wounded, some physically and others mentally.
The Australian Government Department of Defence estimates that approximately 8.3% of ADF members will have experienced PTSD in the last 12 months (2020/2021), which is significantly higher than in the Australian community (5.2%). In particular, ADF males report a greater rate of PTSD compared with the general community (8.1% versus 4.6%).
41 families left without a mother/father/brother/sister/son/daughter………. The abovementioned PTSD numbers equate to 1000’s of soldiers impacted by PTSD, with many of these at the severe and highly debilitating end of the spectrum.
The Rising Sun Charitable Trust exists to provide as much financial help to these soldiers and families as possible, ensuring that they can provide the essentials of every day life.
Donate to The Rising Sun Charity
Ambassadors
Our highly valued Ambassadors generously give of their time to help The Rising Sun Charitable Trust raise as many funds as possible and also help us raise awareness such that we can identify those in need of our help and identify those individuals and companies looking to contribute to our cause.
Our Ambassadors are:
Jonno McCartney
With over 18 years of experience Jonno’s passionate about working with Melbourne’s youth and the elderly.
McCartney electrical Solutions have been dedicated to getting more apprentices into the trade sector as competent electricians and has been a great advocate for female apprentices. The aged care sector is a significant space in their business scope, by ensuring that their clients are safe and secure, this allows the senior community members to continue their lives stress free and in their own homes.
Jonno, has the ability to find solutions that ideally suit their client’s needs. A man that genuinely cares for his clients, staff, family, and friends, he just makes everything around him better and with a smile!
Jonno volunteers to support his childrens sporting clubs and teams, often playing key roles such as team manager and assists in coaching and developing juniors skills particularly in the basketball stream.
He is a devoted mental health advocate and Geelong supporter. Fun fact, he spent a lot of his youth growing up in Vanuatu with his family.
Jonno has always had a deep respect for the history of what it means to be part of the Australian defence forces. He has been a solid contributor to our Charity and has drawn in sponsorship and donations from many organisations that has raised valuable money going towards the charity.
A shining example of his dedication was his ability to gain $20,000 dollars from “Pepper money” to donate to our charity.
Colleen Sinclair
Colleen is a successful business mentor and connector who has over 30 years’ experience supporting businesses to grow, as well as achieving success managing multiple businesses in partnership with her husband Phil.
Colleen is a born collaborator, dedicated to supporting, connecting, and celebrating organisations and the people within them, awakening their full potential to live exceptional lives.
Colleen has influenced and brought success to many clients across multiple areas in Retail, Construction, Fitness, Performing Arts and the Hair and Beauty industries.
Colleen is involved in many community groups and is a board member of the Foothills Foundation, a dedicated volunteer group helping to engage and connect individuals and groups in need of funding where they may otherwise be overlooked.
Colleen’s passion for family and desire to help couples working together in business is brought to life through the active role she plays to improve the mental health of Business Owners through Building Connections, a community group she founded in 2019.
To support Colleen’s success, she holds multiple certifications in Coaching, Business and Retail as well as the tools to shift mindsets with Meta Dynamics™ and is an accredited Edisc™ practitioner. This experience and training enable Colleen to support clients through self-awareness, understanding and accessing their natural inner powers to create change and positive growth.
Colleen has a deep respect for the Australian military and our returned veterans and was instrumental in the success of The Rising Sun Charities first major event. We look forward to a great partnership.
Brooke Early
Being on the frontline of helping others in times of need comes naturally to Brooke. Having spent ten tears as an enrolled nurse and acute care nurse, and seven years as an event co-ordinator with Beyond Blue, Brooke feels she has merely scratched the surface in delivering help and compassion to those with mental health disorders, and all signs of physical incapacitation and injuries. As the holder of a degree in Nursing and now a current registered nurse, a parent of two wonderful children, and office manager for the family roofing business, Brooke deftly provides her time as a valued carer to many.
Brooke is honoured to share her multi-disciplinary leadership and communication skills with the Rising Sun Charity. On the side, Brooke is also a team manager for her childrens basketball teams, communications manager for the local football club, and is a valued events and fundraising organiser and social media queen.
Brooke has deep experience in rehabilitation, surgical wound care, day surgery, general medicine, community nursing, chronic illness and child and adolescent health. Not content to stick to one demographic, Brooke has activley sought opportunities to work across all facets of medical care, and those who are blessed with meeting her quickly feel drawn to her warmth, humilty, empathy and kindness.
When asked to come on board as an Ambassador, Brooke says, ” It was a natural step and a position I accept with great honour. I feel strongly for those who have served in the ADF for our country. This is my opportunity to honour and support their selfless bravery”.
Sponsorship / Partnerships
How to become a partner/major donor
Some donors to The Rising Sun Charitable Trust are particularly generous in their contributions to our cause. Each of our partners/major donors have contributed over $5,000 towards soldiers and their families in need. We sincerely thank them for their contribution and we undertake to get the money into the hands of those who need it as soon as possible.
Should you wish to become a partner/major donor to The Rising Sun Charitable Trust, please go to any of the “Donate” links throughout our website and make your contribution of over $5,000 (fully tax deductible).
All of our partners/major donors are always invited to our:
- networking and speaking engagements with returned servicemen organisations, corporate organisations, community organisations, government organisations, schools, sporting clubs etc.;
- special events such as dinners/parties, Kokoda tours, Walking Treks to other states (from our base in Victoria or elsewhere);
- extreme challenges like 24 hours of walking the 1000 steps in the Dandenongs, Victoria etc.
Major Partners/Donors include
- Chris Suttie and Family/Pinnacle HJWP Pty Ltd
- Clare Colson and family
- Benjamin O’Neill and Family
- Joe Scordo and Family/AJ Building & Restoration
- IntelliTrac Pty Ltd/Dean Calapai and Family
- Jonno McCartney and Family
- Jonno McCartney and family
- Leo & Jo Cooper
- Adbo world and Aspire BBQ’s
Speakers
The Rising Sun Charitable Trust Directors, Neil Trigwell (7-Year Army Veteran) and Chris Suttie, along with our highly valued Ambassadors, are always available and very keen to come and speak to groups of people of all sizes and shapes, for example but by no means limited to: returned servicemen organisations, corporate organisations, community organisations, government organisations, schools, sporting clubs.
Please follow the link below to tell us about your group and how we can best engage with you.
Donate to The Rising Sun Charity