00:00 Melting steel in a forge like this has been a bit out of fashion since blacksmiths did it during medieval times.
00:09 But it became a salvation for Army and Police Force veteran Dean Hamilton
00:14 after the traumatic events he'd witnessed in his career left him barely able to function.
00:19 When I was over an anvil and it was hot steel and I was concentrating on not burning myself,
00:24 I didn't think about anything else.
00:26 All I thought about was just creating something out of that piece of steel I had in front of me
00:31 and it was the first time that I'd had an element of mental peace in an incredibly long time.
00:38 After leaving the force, Dean realised he might be able to help others battling similar demons.
00:44 Dean has created a program called Forge Through,
00:47 bringing other veterans and first responders battling PTSD onto his farm at Nelligan on the NSW South Coast.
00:55 In small groups he starts conversations and teaches people how to turn a discarded piece of metal into something useful.
01:03 It's a symbol of transformation and it's a symbol that they can do something.
01:09 They can take a crappy piece of steel and turn it into something beautiful.
01:15 It brings together people who've shared similar experiences at the coalface of policing, emergency response and defence.
01:23 I've definitely become a lot more calmer.
01:26 It's been great so that I can link in with other guys and we can talk about their problems,
01:31 talk about my problems, how they're so similar.
01:34 The participants all keep in touch and have built a strong community.
01:39 We talk about camaraderie and mateship and all that sort of stuff.
01:42 A lot of that that was lost before leaving the service has been reignited I guess through Forge Through.
01:54 Igniting a new fire among those who've served.
01:57 served.
01:58 [BLANK_AUDIO]
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