Toyota charity partnership announced for 2024 Toyota Country Music Festival
14 November 2023
Lifeline New England North West will be the beneficiary of a rare, two-year partnership with Toyota Australia at the Toyota Country Music Festival, Tamworth. The success of the charity partnership at this year’s festival has paved the way for Lifeline and Toyota to continue working together bringing Lifeline Crisis Supporters to Tamworth.
The Toyota and Lifeline Partnership at the 2024 festival will fund the training of Crisis Supporters in Tamworth who will answer the 13 11 14 crisis line locally. Thanks to the Toyota Partnership and local community support, Lifeline now has a temporary crisis support call centre located in Peel Street. Tamworth’s first Crisis Supporter in training will take the first call in the new centre in coming weeks.
The temporary space will be in operation until Tamworth’s new, purpose-built Lifeline hub located on Country Road is complete.
Toyota Australia Chief Marketing Officer, Vin Naidoo, said that Toyota is incredibly proud to be partnering with Lifeline New England North West at the 2024 Toyota Country Music Festival for the second year.
“The support Lifeline provides is essential and it’s fantastic to see how the sales of Toyota hats and pins from this year’s festival has helped fund the opening of the temporary crisis support call centre in Tamworth.”
“The hats and pins are an iconic part of the summer festival, and all funds raised go directly to Lifeline New England North West to help fund such a critical project and strengthen the local community. We encourage all festival goers to visit the ToyotaZone during the festival to show their support to Lifeline.”
Lifeline’s General Manager in the region, Michael Were said the continued support from Toyota outlines just how important Lifeline’s 13 11 14 crisis line is to Australian people.
“Lifeline receives more than one-million calls every year from Australians needing to talk – on average 3000 calls a day. The work we are doing in Tamworth will train local people to be crisis supporters in their community while saving Australian lives through the Lifeline crisis line.
In partnership with Toyota Australia, Festival goers will be able to support Lifeline when they purchase the popular Festival souvenir hats and pins.
‘We’re excited to be planning a whole raft of fundraising activities including the iconic ‘even cowboys/cowgirls get the blues’ t-shirts and our second Concert for Lifeline held in the Park as part of the opening night celebrations.
“The support for Lifeline in Tamworth is tangible. Tamworth Regional Council, local business, community groups and media are helping us to raise the funds we need to get this service off the ground. There is a genuine drive to train local people and create a Lifeline community in Tamworth.
“With the current cost-of-living, housing stress and need for mental health services, Lifeline’s crisis line is seeing a higher demand than ever before.
In order to answer all of these calls we need to continue growing our team of crisis supporters across the country. We’re proud to be part of the Tamworth community … we’re here to stay and grow mental health services in this region.
Importantly, all funds raised through the Toyota Partnership will remain local. We’re very grateful to Toyota and Tamworth Country Music Festival for their tremendous support and backing for this life-changing service, Mr Were said.
We’re here for you 24/7 on 13 11 14, via text on 0477 13 11 14 or chat with us on
lifeline.org.au/crisis-chat