The
Vietnam Veterans Trust has just had a change of name, a change
of chairman and an expanded role.
The trust will now be known as the Australian Veterans’ Children
Assistance Trust or AVCAT.
ADML Mike Hudson (Rtd) had been appointed the chairman of the
trust.
It will continue the work of helping with tertiary education costs
for children, however, instead of only children of Vietnam veterans
benefiting, selected children and grandchildren of Australia’s
veterans of all wars will be covered.
The trust’s chief executive officer, BRIG Patrick Gowans,
announced the name change and the expansion of those who will
benefit.
He said that currently the trust runs 16 grant schemes using money
from government, ex-service organisations and private sponsors.
About 50 new grants are offered each year, he said.
Most of these are the 30 national Long Tan Bursaries funded by
the Repatriation Commission for Vietnam veterans’ children.
Of the remaining grants, some are national and others for NSW,
Queensland and South Australian applicants only, as their funders
have specified.
Money received by the trust for grants is tax deductible.
ADML Hudson announced that Australia’s new Governor General
MAJGEN Michael Jeffrey had become the trust’s patron.
