THE hardcourts of HMAS Watson were awash with colour as more than 30 Defence support service providers and organisations took part in the Navy base’s Members and Family Day at South Head in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs.
The annual Members and Family Day, in its second year, brings providers together with personnel and their families for a university-fair style event.
The day is an initiative of Watson’s Commanding Officer, Commander Aaron Scott, who views it as a significant event on the base’s activity calendar.
‘Members and Family Day is an opportunity for connection and resource gathering for our members,” Commander Scott said.
“It provides them with a limited opportunity to bring family on site and to put a face to the many organisations that exist in supporting our people.”
Assistant coordinator of the event Able Seaman Dishant Shah would like to see more bases embrace the opportunity to hold events that encourage interaction in a relaxed setting, removed from a classroom or auditorium.
“There is a genuine appetite for this. We had over 400 people sourcing information and asking great questions of the providers,” Able Seaman Shah said, adding that three times more family members attended this year’s event compared to last year’s.
