TODAY seven people across Australia will die by suicide, and for every ‘completed’ suicide there will be a further seven attempts.
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Lifeline Central West chief executive officer Alex Ferguson said these figures might shock people, suicide needs to be talked about and not “brushed under the carpet”.
He was on hand across the weekend at Lifeline’s annual Spring Book Fair at the Bathurst Showground pavilion.
The fair raises vital funds to allow the charity’s work to continue.
So many people are behind the charity, according to Mr Ferguson, who spoke of the 31,000 book donations they received in the lead up to the two-day book fair.
“We sold more than half of the books off yesterday [Saturday],” he said.
The collection, sorting and transportation of 31,000 books was a big job for seven volunteers, but one that was well worth it, Mr Ferguson said.
The volunteers also priced the books – from as low as $1 up to $10 – ready for the weekend fair.
“People are purchasing about $20 to $40 worth of books, while others are leaving with a box full,” he said.
Last year the fair raised $25,000 for Lifeline, and Mr Ferguson said the charity looks on target to raise even more from this year’s fair.
Part of the funds raised will go to training the telephone counsellors who are rostered around the clock to act as a vital link for people experiencing a crisis.
This year Lifeline will receive 850,000 calls for help nationally, with 80 per cent of those calls from women.
While women might call for help more than men, Mr Ferguson said 80 per cent of 2500 ‘completed’ suicides annually involve men.
“More people die by suicide than in car accidents,” he said.
“Nobody calls Lifeline because the sun’s shining and everything’s great – they’ve got a train wreck somewhere in their lives.
“The reality is you can make a telephone call, but you have to have a human being, a trained counsellor. on the other end of the line.”