Lifeline Northern Beaches CEO David Thomas said the organisation was absolutely stoked to raise more than $50,000 in the inaugural Lifeline Classic at Dee Why Beach on Sunday.

“It was a bit out of the box for Lifeline to do a surfing event, but we got the surf and the weather,” he said.

Mr Thomas said suicide is our national emergency. “When you look at the statistics, the biggest killer of 15 - 44 year olds is suicide. It’s a crisis and the peninsula is no different - our community has felt the devastating effects of this far too often.” 

Every call to Lifeline costs the organisation about $28. “So that’s close to 2,000 calls to crisis counsellors we will be able to fund from this event. That’s 2,000 cries for help, potentially 2,000 lives that can be saved with those calls,” he said.

David Thomas said that Lifeline as an organisation has struggled to get to a younger demographic. “A lot of people in my middle-age group know about the 13 11 14 crisis hotline but they don’t know about our counselling services or the other services we offer.

“Huge thanks to all the pros, all the fundraising teams and everyone who supported this event, plus Steve Harrison from Global Surftag and Jo Lynas from Lynas Events who put it all together. Hopefully it will build that trust and confidence, and also that brand identity, with the younger demographic. If they do have a crisis somewhere along the line, they’ll know that Lifeline is there and that there are services available to help them,” he said.

The Living Ocean team (Hunter Roberts, Sam Partington, Van and Arch Whiteman and pro surfer Fraser Dovell) won the fundraising with more than $7,000. They were inspired to get involved by 22-year-old Avalon local, Claudia Newman.

“Depression and mental health issues have been a big part of my life personally, and a few of my friends have passed away, so I’ve been looking for something to do about it for a very long time,” Newman said.  “With the Lifeline Classic, we got the opportunity to make a difference and include all the youth in it. So I involved my family and Living Ocean, which was co-founded by my parents, Carol and Robbi and their friends, and the response was absolutely incredible.

“We need the youth to understand that there are people to call if you don’t want to talk to your family or friends. If you’re not ready for that kind of communication yet, you can call up Lifeline on 13 11 14 and there will be someone there 24 hours a day who can help you with any problem you are having, just so you know that in no way, shape or form you are alone.”

Living Ocean won the fundraising and will give more than $7,000 to Lifeline (Photo Bernadette McAlinden)

Fourteen teams fundraised, with 13 competing on the day, and Manly Surf School (Cooper Chapman, Shane Conwell, Harley Ross, Darcy Crump and Tas Grainger) won the final from Salty Roosters, White Horses and North Steyne.  Equal fifth were Swellnet and Living Ocean, and equal seventh were Surfing Mums and Adrenalin Wetsuits. The other fundraising teams were: Saltwater Hope, Avalon Beach SLSC, The Rebels, Redback Surfware, Hot Grommet and The Surfing Lawyers.

Manly Surf School came first in the surfing competition (Photo Bernadette McAlinden)

Manly Sea Eagles star Dylan Walker competed on the Hot Grommet team and former pro surfers who competed included Simon Anderson, Rob Bain, Toby Martin, Matt Bemrose, Dayyan Neve and Nick Carroll.

You can still donate to the teams at https://give.everydayhero.com/au/lifeline-northern-beaches-classic-1

Alongside the core 13 11 14 telephone crisis support service, Lifeline Northern Beaches offers a range of other services including face-to-face counselling, telephone support for the isolated and at risk, and support groups, training and community visitor programs.

It costs Lifeline $27.96 for every call responded to. Every dollar raised at the Lifeline Classic will help save lives.

In Australia:

• almost eight people die by suicide every day
• more than seven suicide attempts occur every hour
• 65,300 suicide attempts each year
• men represent three-quarters of suicide deaths
• suicide is the most common cause of death for the 15 – 44 age bracket

(Homepage photo Bernadette McAlinden)