A Lifeline for the Hunter

Lifeline Newcastle & Hunter has been operating a 24 Hour Telephone Counselling Service in the Hunter since 1966. The service provides the opportunity for people to reach out and speak to another person knowing that they will be heard, treated respectfully and with full anonymity and confidentiality. Our unique position as the "ears" of Newcastle and the Hunter allows us to identify and react to the specific needs of our community.

As an extension of our crisis telephone counselling service and in response to the needs that we have identified in our community, Lifeline Newcastle & Hunter provides Personal Counselling, Financial and Gambling Counselling as well as Community Education Programs designed to enhance living skills and improve self-confidence.

Community Training

Lifeline Newcastle & Hunter provides a range of services to relieve the stress and pain of the people of Newcastle & Hunter.

Register now for:

• Accidental Counsellor Training
• Mindfulness Meditation

Steel Magnolia Award

Nominations for the 2010 Steel Magnolia Award are now closed.

The Steel Magnolia Award recognises a local woman who has faced and overcome personal adversity and made a contribution to the community and this year, sixteen amazing women have received nominations.

The nominated women come from all walks of life and have all experienced personal hardship but what unites them is their ability and desire to make this world a better place.

Now in its 7th year and with the generous support of local businesses including major supporter ResCo Services, the Steel Magnolia Award has become an established and prestigious event in our community.

Previous award recipients include:

• Dele Gilmore - vital in bringing Ronald McDonald House to the John Hunter Hospital.
  
• Robyn Cotterell-Jones - established the VOCAL Victims Support Unit.
  
• Jill Stuart - fundamental in opening the Stuart Centre for people with cerebral palsy.
  
• Sue-Ellen Robertson - CEO, SIDS & Kids Hunter
  
• Linda Pepperall – Riding for the Disabled
  
• Leonie Forsyth - Kidsafe Hunter

The 2010 recipient of the Steel Magnolia Award will be announced at an inspiring ceremony to be held at the Starlight Room, Wests New Lambton.

Date:   Friday 12th March
Time:   6.30pm - 9pm.
Cost:   Tickets are $75 each or $700 for a table of 10 and include champagne on arrival, wine, drinks and a two-course meal.

Hosted by Melinda Smith, the ceremony will feature past nominees Janine Epere and Jo Turner speaking about their inspirational work in the community. Lifeline Newcastle and Hunter would like to thank Lady Mayoress Cathy Tate for her continuing support of the award as patron.

Since 1966, Lifeline Newcastle & Hunter has been supporting the people of our region by providing a crisis telephone counselling service 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a week, answering up 11,000 call per year. Every day, Lifeline’s volunteer telephone counsellors hear stories of courage, bravery and strength from women around our region. It is these stories that inspired the creation of the Steel Magnolia Award.
The title Steel Magnolia encapsulates the type of woman that we are looking to honour; a woman who has shown strength and an unbreakable spirit in the face of adversity and compassion in improving the lives of others.