The proceeds of a film fundraiser will help a vital service train new volunteers. 

Eight dollars from the sale of every ticket to the opening night of the acclaimed film Lion at Bendigo Cinemas will be donated to Lifeline Central Victoria and Mallee. 

The film has special significance for the event’s organisers, the Rotary Club of Bendigo.

President Glenn Reilly said Indian-born Australian businessman Saroo Brierley, whom the film is about, shared his story at the Rotary District 9800 conference at Ulumbarra Theatre last year. 

“He actually mentioned they were making the film,” Mr Reilly said. 

Mr Brierley’s story stuck in his mind, as did Lifeline’s need for support. 

“We’re all aware of Lifeline,” Mr Reilly said.

But he believed it was less commonly known that the organisation was not fully funded to perform its life-saving work, relying on community donations to supplement money provided by the state government.

It costs about $2000 to train a new telephone crisis supporter, Lifeline Central Victoria and Mallee chief executive officer Leo Schultz said.

Funds from Thursday’s event will help train volunteers during the next recruitment intake, in March.

“Just as our volunteer telephone crisis supporters are drawn from our community, so are we reliant on the assistance of the community to fund our life-saving 13 11 14 service,” Mr Schultz said.

Lifeline hopes to attract 15 – 20 new volunteers with every recruitment effort.

Mr Schultz said there were two training groups in 2016, resulting in 35 new volunteers. 

However, the centre’s total number of volunteers has dropped to about 60.

“Sixty is about the average we aim for,” Mr Schultz said. 

Lifeline telephone crisis supporter training takes place over two months. 

Volunteers attend a two day suicide intervention workshop.

The rest of the training is delivered via a combination of face-to-face training and online learning over a period of seven weeks. 

Lifeline asks that volunteers commit to 12 months with the organisation and perform a three-hour shift per week. 

“Lifeline Central Victoria and Mallee is grateful for the efforts of the Rotary Club of Bendigo and Glenn Reilly in particular for organising this event,” Mr Schultz said.

“This is another example of the service Lifeline Central Victoria and Mallee delivers being a whole-of-community responsibility.”

The film fundraiser screens at Bendigo Cinemas from 6.45pm on January 19.

Tickets are $20. To book, phone Lifeline on 5443 1330.

Whether over the internet, face-to-face or using the 24-hour 13 11 14 telephone crisis support line, Lifeline receives more than a million contacts each year from helpseekers.

Lifeline answers more than 2200 calls per day in Australia. Every 32 seconds, there is a new call to the telephone crisis support line.

The online Crisis Support Chat Service is popular with users between the ages of 25 and 44, which account for 84 per cent of the tool’s users. 

More than 40 per cent of contacts via the chat service are from people in rural and remote locations.

Suicide is the leading cause of death for Australians aged 15 - 44 years.

The suicide rate in Australia is the highest it has been in more than 10 years, at 12.7 per 100,000 Australians in 2015.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics recorded 3027 deaths from suicide in 2015, equivalent to about eight deaths per day.

For every death, it is estimated as many as 30 people attempt suicide

Suicide rates are at a 10-year high for men aged 15-54 years, and women aged 45-54 years.

Men die from suicide at a rate three times that of women.

The Central Victoria and Mallee office claims to be Australia’s most effective Lifeline centres, answering more calls than any other in regional Victoria. 

In one year, Lifeline’s central Victorian office answered more than 22,500 calls – 14,000 more than a decade earlier.

But the centre needs about $50,000 a year more than it is getting now to maintain its level of service.  

For 24/7 crisis or suicide prevention support, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or visit lifeline.org.au.