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Mates4Mates, a not for profit charity which provides support to wounded, injured or ill current and ex-serving ADF personnel and their families, has opened a Family Recovery Centre in Hobart.

The Captain of the Australian team who competed in Prince Harry’s Invictus Games last month Sapper Curtis McGrath and triple Olympian Simon Burgess were there to open Tasmania’s first off-base Family Recovery Centre.

Sapper McGrath lost his legs after an improvised explosive device (IED) detonated beneath him while on duty in Afghanistan in 2012.

The 26 year old who has not allowed his injuries to debilitate him, is now a professional athlete and training for the 2016 Rio De Janeiro Paralympics.

“Mates4Mates has been a massive support during my recovery and ongoing training,” Sapper McGrath said.

“It’s a life-changing organisation for our Defence community and their families and I urge anyone in Tasmania thinking of reaching out to do so.”

Mates4Mates chairman Peter Davies said the Hobart Family Recovery Centre is the first centre of its kind to open outside of Queensland thanks to the support of RSL Tasmania.

“When Mates4Mates was launched by RSL (Queensland Branch) last year we knew we wanted to open Family Recovery Centres across Australia to reach and provide support to as many people as we can,” Davies said.

“The feedback from our Brisbane and Townsville Family Recovery Centres has been overwhelmingly positive and I’m so glad we’ll now be able to assist people living in Tasmania.

“There are approximately 13,000 current and ex-Defence personnel in Tasmania along with their families, some of whom have been touched by traumatic experiences and will benefit from the new centre.

“Mates4Mates takes a contemporary approach to providing good old-fashioned mateship to a new generation and meeting the modern challenges facing servicemen and women wounded in more recent conflicts and missions.

“The Hobart Family Recovery Centre includes a gym, medical and psychological support services, drop-in centre and training programs for adventure challenges like sailing on the Spirit of Mateship.”  

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