Building The Purple Tiger Foundation
I feel like this journey started..... A long time ago in a galaxy far far away....
It actually does, as I use the compensation that I was awarded as a child from the Victims Compensation Tribunal to help fund the building of The Purple Tiger Foundation to empower others to commence their journey from victim to survivor to achiever to advocate.
Rebuilding a Pathway to Life after Trauma
The idea of The Purple Tiger Foundation was to help people realise there is life after traumatic experiences. It was about empowering people to build a pathway through trauma, mental health, abuse, neglect and sexual assault experiences. By re-developing your social engagement, your energy, enthusiasm and passion through the medium of sport, adventure experiences, play therapy and lived experience yarning circles.
As I began my journey my family values were tested in the most unthinkable way as my immediate and extended family and the people, I thought were my family and friends slowly disappeared due to various intergenerational challenges, grievances and misunderstandings of entitlement. They seemed to forget about this little boy that needed their love and support more than ever as he sought to rebuild his life and once again step into the light for good this time.
My Family
It is often said that along way the importance of family is a critical component of healing oneself, which I have found to be true. But I have also come to the realisation that family can have many different meanings and can be made up of people that aren't blood related but are their always, without question and when you need them the most.
My Tiger Ambush
My Tiger Family Ambush is made of up these amazing people that have stood by me when I needed them most and didn't let life's or their own personal views cloud their judgement about helping someone in need. So, I say thank-you to:
Amanda, Sam, Darcy, Archie, Bill, Peter, Tayia, Nicole, Karen, Lee, Daniel, Holly, Kerry, Nan & Pop (Narrabeen & Sawtell), Shawn, Sarah T, Michael T.
Whilst my immediate family don't figure in this for various reasons, I am thankful for the times we did share over the years.
Our Mission
Patrick, Sarah, Michael, Amanda & their business partners have a deep passion to support and help Australia's most vulnerable children and adults. We want to help them achieve their hopes, dreams and aspirations in life whilst getting the support they need to transition from being a victim to a survivor.
Throughout their careers they have lived and worked in some of the most remote communities and have seen firsthand the hardship and trauma that some children and people with disabilities go through in the early and adult stages of their lives. Along with seeing what transitions into adulthood when the right care, support, understanding and professional help hasn't been provided.
Whether it is childhood trauma in the form of abuse, neglect, sexual assault or family, sibling or domestic violence. Or whether it has simply been trauma or personal circumstance that hasn't been acknowledged or supported previously, and they are now adults. We want to also provide a lifeline for children and young people to aid in their recovery and help them learn to live life beyond the event.
We also want to support adults, males in particular that have gone through horrific trauma which has either gone undiagnosed or untreated due to a sense of pride, shame or lack of appropriate services. We want mates to feel comfortable with talking to mates and having the strength and courage to stand up and say I am not OK.
My Sons: The Defenders of Tomorrow
I am equally inspired by all my sons (Sam, Darcy & Archer) but especially my son, Darcy "The Rhino" Wilsmore who has been helping me build The Purple Tiger Foundation through his belief in the cause we are building and the following two reasons.
1. His never say die attitude, his incredible resilience, fortitude and soul strength who inspired a whole hospital with his courage, determination and bravery to overcome nearly dying three times in 2022 at John Hunter Hospital.
2. His ability to help people in need, uphold people's rights and show kindness to all people who are less fortunate or are vulnerable in today's society. He thinks not of himself but of others first. He did this even when he was dying and was making out his will to give his toys and belongings to his brothers and to people in need. He wanted his pocket money to go to the homeless people and to the guide dogs.
In 2024 his life came full circle when he was named Rugby Australia's & Land Rovers Defender of Tomorrow!
His love for Rugby is only matched by the strength of his character and his heart and soul.
Darcy, like my other two sons, Sam & Archer inspire me each day to defend the rights of all people, bring about social change and raise awareness of the contributions all people can make in their communities. It is through this that we can also embrace diversity, equality and empower all people to stand up for the rights of all First Nations people.
Darcy loves helping me cook the sausage sizzles no matter what the weather is doing at the local Bunnings stores as we work to raise awareness and raise funding to build The Purple Tiger Foundation.
The Idea of the Purple Tiger
Founder Patrick came up with the idea of the Purple Tiger Foundation from his own personal, traumatic and horrific experiences as a victim of repeated serious child sexual abuse, assault, violence and potentially fatal predatory behaviours over the course of a number of years. From his journey from Victim to Survivor to Advocate he started to build upon the idea of the Foundation with four focuses in mind;
First Focus: was helping people to transition/transform from victim to survivor. It was then about instilling the courage and bravery back into people to empower them to rebuild their sense of identity, importance, independence. Then helping them to rediscover life's purpose for them as individuals, that there is life after trauma, and how they can help, teach and safeguard others.
Second Focus: was about bringing communities, families and people back together and creating an idea and logo that gave people back their passion, power and their purpose. It was also about educating families, siblings and friends about the journey a victim goes through, and the importance of a safe space being rebuilt when they choose to deal with their past.
Third Focus: was then about combining several powerful messages through imagery, colour, folklore and an animal that would bring a sense of hope, instil courage and return one's self-belief and self-confidence. Whilst empowering people to realise their self-worth again, come out about their experiences and tell their story that there is life after trauma.
Fourth Focus: was about identifying what community, social, interactive and recreational activities could be used as mediums to help victims begin to regain their self-worth, confidence and personal power. It was identified that many team sports, outdoor recreational activities, adventure experiences and social yarning/spectator experiences could provide the vehicle to help people rebuild an external support network. With the aim of working to rebuild trust, social engagement and begin to remove the stigma associated with their previous experiences.
The Purpose:
The idea was to then work with communities, government departments, not for profit organisations, families, individuals and the victims of crime tribunals to offer life experiences and sport and recreation vouchers to these victims of crime, abuse and neglect as a way of helping them begin their transformational journey.
It was hoped that as we build this foundation that organisations, government departments, philanthropists and corporate organisations would contribute experiences and funding to make people dreams come true again.
The Synergies behind the Colour Purple & The Tiger
1. Purple: the colour of purple was chosen to help represent one's journey to regain their power, creativity, dignity, pride, independence and to rediscover their ambition, inner peace and bring back some magic to their life.
2. Purple: was also chosen to acknowledge a fictional hero, THE PHANTOM, that had been an important part of Patrick's traumatic past and helped him rediscover his own identity through the love of comic books and super fantastic heroes. Like the character he swore an oath to help the vulnerable, protect the innocent and advocate against all injustices and forms of cruelty against all races of people.
3. The Tiger: was chosen because in many cultures it symbolizes protection, vitality, power, strength and aids in warding off evil spirits. They are synonymous with power, leadership and never give up even when they are frustrated or when there is no hope left.
4. The Tiger: was chosen also due to Patrick's love of sport, especially rugby league as it helped him transcend and teleport himself away from his trauma and immerse himself in a world of skill, determination, courage and resilience. As we would often barrack for his beloved black and orange coloured team the "The Balmain Tigers". His favourite players of this era were; Paul Sironen, Steve Roach, Benny Elias, Wayne Pierce and later on it was Tim Brasher who often embodied the will, speed, determination and strength of a Tiger!
They inspired me to believe in myself, never give up and showed me the value and importance of teamwork, true git, determination and personal power.
Combining to create a Powerful Force
Thus, combining the colour Purple with a Tiger made perfect sense, as you see there are great synergies between the colour and the animal. A combination that produced a strong and powerful symbol to provide hope too many to never give up.
The idea of the Foundation was to provide support, develop opportunities and promote health and wellbeing through helping people to re-engage and to enjoy recreational activities and team sports again or experience them for the first time.
They also plan to place Purple Tiger foundation statues in major children's hospitals to raise vital donations to support the foundations endeavours. Sponsorship will also help the friends of the Purple Tiger Foundation visit sick children and young people in hospital to brighten their day with a bit of purple and help them find their courage and their ROAR again!
Our Commitment: Tiger Conservation
The Purple Tiger Foundation also wants to have a real-world social impact and purpose which is why each year it donates funding to a range of endangered Tiger species around the world through various charities. Whilst we believe in upholding and safeguarding the rights of all people, we also believe in protecting the rights of animals and endangered species, particularly the tiger, which our Foundation is named after.
Through the World Wildlife Fund & The Taronga Royal Zoological Society we donate funding to:
1. Improve the safety, security and wellbeing of Tigers,
2. Support breeding programs,
3. Assist in the protection of their natural habitats and educate people about the challenges they are facing
4. Assist in Tiger conservation.
5. Raise awareness around all Tiger species which are currently threatened, endangered or have become extinct.
6. Protect our favourite Tiger, The Bengal Tiger
7. Ensure Tigers will be around for generations to come
Purposeful Foundational Insights
Perhaps this match was meant to be when I think about the writings of The Phantom and how he was portrayed and was known as The Ghost who walks by legendary writer Lee Falk. For one of the most famous jungle sayings about The Phantom that I remember from numerous comic books and even the fun 1990's cartoon, Defenders of the Earth was... that "He had the Strength of Ten Tigers".
Whilst I may not be The Phantom or Superman, I can certainly still give people HOPE in my world.
Should you wish to donate or support this worthwhile cause then please follow the Go Fund Me Link or to make a donation please go to the next page or our Online Store.