Lifeline chosen as Tamworth country music festival charity partner

As the need for mental health support increases, Toyota Australia has selected Lifeline as their charity partner for the 2024 Tamworth Country Music Festival.

All funds raised will go towards the ongoing development of a crisis support centre in the city.

Lifeline Northern NSW general manager Michael Were said it is a great privilege to have the partnership continue for a second year.

"All of the sales from the iconic pins and hats, that have become such coveted items, will go towards the charity," he said.

READ ALSO:

In 2023 festival goers raised $50,123.22 for Lifeline. And the organisation is only seeing an increasing need for its services.

"The Tamworth crisis support centre will join our national support network. We are currently receiving around 3000 calls a day, so there is a huge amount of need in Australia," Mr Were said.

Lifeline put out the call for volunteer crisis supporters in Tamworth earlier this year, and hopes to have 40 residents trained up to answer calls from the new Lifeline centre in the Tamworth Business Park.

The centre is currently operating out of a temporary office on Peel Street, above Blooms The Chemist and directly across the road from their donation store opened in the CBD last year.

Tamworth City Toyota dealer principal Tim Easy said support services such as Lifeline are essential in regional areas.

"We have a lot of young individuals in our employment and from time to time in life everybody may have some personal issues. So it is great to know that is service available, like Lifeline," Mr Easy said.

Tamworth Regional Council manager of the country music festival Barry Harley said the iconic festival straw hats may not be free anymore, but the community knows that the profits are going to a good cause.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: