Parkes Que Club learns more about Parkes Safe Haven and is knitting bears for ambulance service

The Safe Haven is a friendly, emotional support facility for people who are often despairing or very lonely, some even contemplating suicide.

There are four staff members, all with lived experience, who can empathise and provide support, and also help identify further services for appropriate support both immediate and ongoing.

Parkes paramedic Dan Wright, who has been instrumental in establishing a Safe Haven in Parkes, told Que Club members about this amazing place at their recent dinner meeting.

Dan and his wife lost their son Luke to suicide four years ago. It was absolutely devastating for them, their family and friends. Another seven young people also committed suicide in the following months, while Dan also lost one of his own friends, a man with five children, so he decided something needed to be done and that he would bring in a service for people before they reached crisis point.

After two years of extremely hard work, calling on everyone he knew to help, he finally received $510,000 to set up the Safe Haven. It is doing a remarkable job as the ambulance callouts and death numbers have dramatically decreased.

The Safe Haven looks and feels just like a house inside - beautifully equipped with quiet places, others for just talking, games, art and craft needs, even massage chairs, and everyone who needs support is welcome.

It is not just for the young. For example, Dan told us there are farmers, whose wives or husbands have died, and whose children have moved away and are not interested in taking over the farm, who are stuck, isolated, lonely and increasingly desperate.

Of course, the Safe Haven can only help needy people if they know about it. That's where we all can help. We need to tell our friends, our kids, our parents, everyone. We can all help save lives.

Dan left our meeting, loaded with teddy bears. Both he and our members would like to say thank you to all the knitters. There are now enough to put a couple in every ambulance in the area but, of course, we need a constant supply so that we can replace the ones that are given away to calm traumatised children. So please keep on knitting.

Que was also delighted to receive a heap of knitted beanies from Karen Tye in Canberra, which will be included in the domestic violence toiletries packs we give to our police for women and children fleeing with only the clothes they are wearing.

The Safe Haven is at 3/195-199 Clarinda Street, phone 0428 228 097 and is open on weekdays from 10am.

If you, or someone you know, is thinking about suicide or experiencing a personal crisis or distress, please seek help immediately by calling 000 or one of these services: