Each year, Thinktank employees are invited to nominate a charity close to their hearts. For every loan we settle, $100 is donated to those chosen organisations to ensure our team can give back in ways that carry personal meaning and lasting impact. 

For Joel Harrison that cause is the Victoria Police Legacy.

What charity have you nominated and what do they do?

I have nominated Victoria Police Legacy, an organisation that provides ongoing care and support to Victoria Police families following the loss of a loved one.

Victoria Police Legacy supports spouses, partners, parents and children through a range of services and programs, including welfare support, financial assistance, education grants and scholarships, family and youth programs, and opportunities for social connection and fellowship.

What first drew you to the cause?

My connection to Victoria Police Legacy goes back to 2014, when a family friend, Kevin Bridle, who was a serving member at Knox Police Station, invited me to take part in my first Wall to Wall Ride to Canberra.

Since then, I have attended more than 10 Wall to Wall rides. Over the years, I have had the opportunity to listen to the stories of current and retired police members and learn more about the difference Victoria Police Legacy has made to families who have lost a loved one.

Those stories have stayed with me. Police officers are often seen as tough and unbreakable figures of authority, but they are human at the end of the day. When tragedy occurs, they and their families need support just like anyone else. Seeing the lasting impact that Victoria Police Legacy has had on those families is what has kept me connected to the cause.

What impact does this charity have on the community at large or on individuals affected?

Victoria Police Legacy provides long-term support to police families following the loss of a loved one, helping them through circumstances that can have an enormous emotional, practical and financial impact.

That support extends well beyond the immediate aftermath of a loss. Through welfare services, financial assistance, education grants, family and youth programs, social activities and ongoing personal support, Victoria Police Legacy helps families remain connected to the wider police community and ensures they continue to have support as their needs change over time.

Have you been working with this charity in any other way?

y involvement has largely been through the annual Wall to Wall Ride for Remembrance, which I first attended in 2014 and have now participated in more than 10 times.

The ride has also become something I have encouraged others to support. This year, more than 20 of my friends are attending and have also nominated Victoria Police Legacy for donations.

How can others get involved to make a difference?

here are plenty of ways to support Victoria Police Legacy, whether that is through making a donation, fundraising, attending or supporting events, or simply helping to raise awareness of the work they do.

For those with an interest in motorcycling, the Wall to Wall Ride for Remembrance is also a meaningful way to get involved. The annual ride brings together police members, veterans and members of the community from across Australia to remember fallen police officers while raising awareness and funds for Police Legacy organisations.

One of the things I have valued most over the years is seeing the community around Victoria Police Legacy continue to grow.
What began for me as an invitation from a family friend to join a motorcycle ride more than a decade ago has developed into an ongoing commitment to a cause I genuinely believe in.

Seeing more people become involved is particularly rewarding. This year alone, more than 20 of my friends will be joining the ride and supporting Victoria Police Legacy.

To get involved you can find out more here.