Through a sponsorship partnership with Greensill Farming, Lifeline Bundaberg is able to continue to engage with the community to raise awareness around suicide and the support services available.
Service Lead Darlene Terry said the partnership had come about a few years ago through a mutual contact of both organisations.
“Alex Logan, who is currently employed by Greensill Farming, completed our telephone crisis supporter training in 2018 and remains one of our volunteer crisis supporters,” she said.
“The connection with Alex culminated in Greensill Farming stepping in with financial support in 2019 to ensure the screening of a film called The Ripple Effect, which is about suicide awareness and prevention.
“Our Bundaberg Centre had decided to bring this film to Bundaberg to raise awareness of the impacts of suicide and how as a community we can respond and help those at risk of suicide.”
Darlene said without the support of Greensill Farming the film would not have been shown.
“This was to be the beginning of what remains a strong relationship between our Bundaberg Centre and Greensill Farming,” she said.
“In return for their ongoing support, over the past three years I have conducted onsite training for Greensill Farming staff around self-care, suicide prevention and understanding of domestic and family violence.”
Peter Greensill, Executive Director Greensill Farming, said the business was proud to provide ongoing sponsorship to Lifeline Bundaberg to allow them to continue helping people experiencing emotional distress through their 24 hour crisis support and suicide prevention services.
“Mental health is a high priority issue for us at Greensill Farming,” he said.
“We are committed to ensuring people get a second chance, as well as supporting them while they get back on their feet.
“The services provided by Lifeline help save lives every day.”
Darlene said through the continued support of Greensill, the local organisation was also able to promote their training courses for volunteer telephone crisis supporters.
“These people are at the heart of what we do,” she said.
“As a regional centre we do face challenges around finding volunteers, but through this sponsorship support we have been able to offer scholarships to some of our volunteers, who have not been able to afford the cost of the training.
“Two new scholarships positions will be offered once again for our upcoming course starting in September.”
Darlene said Lifeline Queensland received close to 400 calls a day from those in crisis, with many of these calls from people who are thinking about suicide.
“Having support like this from Greensill Farming allows us to continue to do the work that we do every day which is to have volunteers there in our centre to answer these calls,” she said.
If you or someone you know would like to be a volunteer crisis supporter call 41538400.
If you or anyone you know needs support, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.
