Bathurst's Lifeline purchases its first building

The mental health organisation, after 39 years, has purchased a building to house its staff and volunteers.

Executive director Alex Ferguson said it was an exciting time for everyone in the organisation.

“After 39 years, we bought one and it just means over the next period of a number of years we can start to build our balance sheets,” he said.

“A charity is not much different from a corporation; you need some financial viability and this is a chance to start doing that.” 

Lifeline Central West has rented a building at  293A Stewart Street for a number of years.

Mr Ferguson said the organisation has always wanted to own its building and that is what some of its fundraising efforts have been dedicated to.

“We did it all ourselves with fundraising,” he said.

He added that donations from various organisations, including Raine and Horne Bathurst and Bathurst Regional Council, helped make the acquisition possible. 

The building Lifeline has purchased is the Steele and Co office at 253 Howick Street.

Mr Ferguson said Steele and Co has purchased new premises in Russell Street, which is currently being renovated, and Lifeline will be able to move into the Howick Street office once those renovations are complete. 

“When we all sat round the table and negotiated, that was the deal,” he said. 

The building will feature offices for staff members, meeting rooms, work stations and a training area. 

Crisis support volunteers will also answer calls to Lifeline from this building.

“It is a very well-equipped and modern legal business at the moment and it is in such good repair that Lifeline Central West staff will be able to move in, plug in and get to work straight away,” Mr Ferguson said. 

He expects Lifeline will be able to move into its new premises during the first quarter of 2018. 

“Clearly Lifeline Central West is very strong and is growing,” he said.

“There has been a lot of work in the community on our business model and this is a real big step along the way.”