The inaugural National Police Legacy Day will be celebrated this Tuesday 17 June. AFP Legacy has been supporting police officers and their families since January 2012. Widow Georgina Askew has described their support as “mind blowing” and emotionally recalled how she used an AFP Legacy bereavement payment to buy clothes for herself and her children for her husband’s funeral. Sergeant David Askew died suddenly and unexpectedly of a heart attack 2019. AFP Legacy was there to provide support almost immediately, including an initial payment to Georgina and her and David’s three children, Riley, Payton and Mia. When David passed, Riley was 20, Payton was 17 and Mia 13. Asked what she did with the immediate payment from AFP Legacy, Georgina said: “I bought a dress to wear to the funeral. And clothes for the children. A 20-year-old boy who works in construction doesn’t have a shirt. Or dress pants, or dress shoes. So, it meant I could buy them all an outfit to wear. My children had never been to a funeral before.” David was farewelled at a full police funeral in Canberra. “It was beautiful,” Georgina said. David was a 30-year police veteran when he passed away. He was born and bred in Tasmania and he and Georgina met in Tassie through policing. They moved to Brisbane when David left Tasmania Police to join the AFP. After a stint in Brisbane, they were posted to Canberra, before David’s AFP role saw them move to the Solomon Islands in 2017. Riley, by then an adult, stayed in Canberra. Payton joined her parents and younger sister in the Solomon Islands for six months before attending boarding school in Brisbane. It was David’s role with the AFP that took them to the Solomons, but with Georgina’s background in policing, she also joined the AFP team as a ‘locally engaged staff member’. “I sort of became a jack of all trades; I absolutely loved it. It was fantastic,” Georgina said. “David was a Sergeant in charge of their PRT, which is their response team in the Solomons, and it's the only group of officers that are armed. He absolutely loved it.” Inspector Kerry Sireheti, a police officer from the Solomons and part of David’s PRT team, had to travel to America in 2019 after he was nominated for the International Association of Chiefs of Police 40 under 40 Award. David was assigned to escort Kerry to the conference. While the pair were at the conference in America, Georgina remained working in the Solomons. “There's a picture of David and Kerry together in uniform. That's the last photo ever taken of David before he passed away,” Georgina said. “He was in America for a few weeks with Kerry, and then he flew back to Australia and got to Brisbane. I spoke to him, and he was he was pretty tired. And the next thing I knew, the Mission Commander was standing at my door (in the Solomons). And I knew straight away something was terribly, terribly wrong.” “David was incredibly fit, in the gym six days a week, incredibly healthy. What could possibly have happened to this 49-year-old, super fit, super healthy man that didn't drink, didn't smoke,” Georgina asked. A postmortem scan revealed David had four severely blocked arteries. He’d had a massive heart attack while in the gym of his Brisbane hotel. The coroner assured Georgina the heart attack was instantly fatal, and no one could have saved him. “AFP Legacy contacted me, I would say, in the next 48 hours. It was very, very quick. It was done in such a way that was so lovely and so non-intrusive. They were just so lovely and said: ‘Now look, Georgina, this is our service. This is what we can do for you. This is how we can be here for you’.” “All I could think of was if I was a stay-at-home mum and we had lived pay-to-pay; I would have had no money (because David’s wage stopped).” Many Police Legatees talk about how the care from Police Legacy organisations is immediate, and there is no need to wade through red tape to access financial support. “Honestly, it was instant. They made the phone call, and that money was then there in my account. They said: ‘This is what we do for you straight away. But know that this is just the beginning’,” Georgina said. “You hear a lot of people say that AFP Legacy is the club that you never, ever want to belong to, but when you do, you're incredibly grateful.” David passed away in November of 2019. AFP Legacy provided some assistance towards David’s children finishing their education. And while the kids were at school, AFP Legacy would give them money for Mother’s Day so they could buy their Mum a gift. “So they've got their own money, and they can choose, and they can surprise you, and it can still be a great experience. I thought that was just beautiful, that they made sure Mother's Day wasn't forgotten,” Georgina said. “Truly, all of it has just been mind-blowing.” Georgina now works for Australian Border Force and lives in Brisbane with her daughters. AFP Legacy Board President Neil Gaughan APM talked about the significance of the inaugural National Police Legacy Day. “We hope that through National Police Legacy Day we can celebrate and highlight the life-changing work being done by Police Legacy organisations around the country,” Mr Gaughan said. “The mission of Police Legacy is not only to honour the memory of those who served, but to ensure that the lives of those they leave behind are not defined by tragedy, but shaped by hope, resilience, and possibility,” he added. AFP is unique in that it has officers stationed not just all over Australia, but in various parts of the world. AFP Legacy provides support to AFP officers and their families in need, wherever they might be. AFP Legacy support services range from counselling, field officer visits, and social activities to education and career grants, providing comfort, connection, and practical assistance to families. Assistant Minister for Productivity, Competition, Charities and Treasury the Hon Dr Andrew Leigh MP officially launched National Police Legacy Day at Parliament House in Canberra. “When tragedy strikes, Police Legacy is there – not just in the immediate aftermath, but in the months and years that follow. It provides emotional support, financial assistance, and – just as importantly – a deep sense of ongoing connection. These organisations check in, stay close, and remind families that they remain part of something larger,” Assistant Minister Leigh said. “When we mark the first National Police Legacy Day on 17 June 2025, we’ll be shining a light on work that has, for years, been carried out locally – with dedication, discretion, and deep humanity,” he said. The logo for National Police Legacy Day is inspired by the Michaelmas daisy. The Michaelmas daisy is the flower of St Michael, the patron saint of police who protects those who have sworn to serve. We are proud to call it the Police Legacy Daisy. -Ends- Full media kit containing photos and video available at: www.npld.org.au Note for editors •June 17 is the anniversary date of when the first Police Legacy organisation was established in Australia. Queensland Police Legacy started on 17 June 1971. Each state and territory now has its own Police Legacy charity. •National Police Legacy Day is a day of celebration of the work of Police Legacy charities. It is separate from Police Remembrance Day, which is a day of mourning and reflection.