She was among a throng of Lifeline volunteers in Bathurst, and across Australia, and she regularly gave up her time to answer calls from people in a crisis.

More than one million people called Lifeline’s 13 11 14 number last year, and it was volunteers like Mrs Date who answer those cries for help.

While she has no idea how many crisis calls she answered during her 21 years with Lifeline,  she estimates it would be in the thousands.

“I’ve always been interested in Lifeline since its inception in 1963,” Mrs Date said.

“I just felt it was a wonderful service to provide people who have nowhere to turn.”

Mrs Date said when she commenced volunteering with Lifeline she looked at the role not with fear or trepidation, but as an opportunity to help someone in need.

“I did look forward to it and I found the training brilliant,” she said.

“You never know what the next call will be, you really can’t rehearse it.”

While some of the calls she took during her time were incredibly difficult, Mrs Date said overall it had been an interesting and challenging role.

“We’re not meant to take them home [the caller’s issues] with us, I guess what does stay in your mind is the people who are contemplating suicide,” she said.

“I guess that’s where the training comes in because we know what to do at that time.”

When she begun her role with Lifeline Central West in 1996, people like her who answered the phone were called a telephone counsellor, in later years that the title was changed to a crisis supporter.

Mrs Date then moved on to a supervisor role and helped to mentor new crisis supporters during their training.

“They’ll always be nervous, [but] once you’re on the phone it tends to click in because they know what’s coming,” she said.

Mrs Date said a heartwarming moment that crisis supporters occasionally have was when they receive updates from past callers to the 13 11 14 number.

“We do have moments of joy and occasionally someone will send in a message of their progress,” she said.

Mrs Date said there had been many highlights during her two decades as a volunteer Lifeline crisis supporter.

“It is a privilege to be able to build up a rapport with a caller who, at the outset, is overwhelmed by their particular situation,” she said.

“At the conclusion of the call they have new life in their voice and you know you have helped them make a decision as to the next steps they will take to address an immediate crisis.

“It can be a difficult role at times, but it’s a very rewarding role.”

In her 21 years with Lifeline, Mrs Date has volunteered regularly – sometimes a few shifts a week, and more recently a little less often.

It was a difficult decision to leave the role, and she said she was already missing people from the call centre.

“I’m really missing the people already, I love the people,” she said. “They’re a lovely group of people who give their time under quite difficult circumstances at times because they know some people need us.

“It’s just been part of my life for so long.”

Lifeline Central West has call centres in Bathurst, Orange and Dubbo and people from all walks of life, who would like to make a commitment to regular volunteer work, are welcome.

To find out more contact Lifeline’s Bathurst on 6331 7344, email info@lifelinecentralwest.org.au or visit www.lifeline.org.au.