Lifeline Mid Coast commenced operation in October 1988 as a mission service of the Port Macquarie Uniting Church achieving full Lifeline accreditation and remaining as an unincorporated entity of the Uniting Church in Australia (NSW/ACT) and the Mid North Coast Presbytery.

Lifeline was founded by the late Reverend Dr Sir Alan Walker OBE after he took a call from a distressed young man who later took his own life. Determined not to let isolation and lack of support be the cause of more deaths, Rev Walker launched a 24-hour crisis support telephone service, now known as Lifeline.

Lifeline Mid Coast supports a growing population, currently around 190,000 living on or near the Mid North Coast of NSW with a purpose to support Australians in times of crisis and equip individuals and communities to be resilient and suicide safe.

"We want an Australia free from suicide," Lifeline Mid Coast spokesperson Lisa Willows said.

"We continue to work closely with Lifeline Australia and our sister Lifeline Centres, using researched and best practice standards, building capacity and resilience in individuals and communities through a variety of innovative programs."

Lifeline was built on a commitment to reach out to those in crisis, using technology to overcome barriers and to help bridge the gaps of time and distance, Suicide Prevention and Postvention Manager Kelly Saidey said.

Today, Lifeline Mid Coast's services include its 13 11 14 Telephone Crisis Support Service, Support After Suicide for those bereaved by suicide, Eclipse for those who have survived a suicide attempt and Hospital to Recovery, to commence this financial year.

They are able to deliver these core services at no cost to those in crisis because of the success of Lifeline Mid Coast retail shops located in Forster, Taree, Wauchope, Port Macquarie and Kempsey; government funding through the NSW Department of Health, donations from the community, corporate grants and business partnerships.

Around 3,128 Australian lives are lost to suicide each year, and approximately 80,000 Australians attempt suicide.

This equates to more than eight deaths by suicide in Australia each day - with suicide remaining as the leading cause of death for Australians aged between 15 and 44.

"Our centre answers a total of 17,477 calls to the 13 11 14 service a year and we have 68 active Telephone Crisis Support Volunteers," Crisis Support Manager, Di Bannister said.

"It costs around $5000 to train one of these volunteers - with money provided from the retail arm of the centre."