A local charity is getting vital assistance from one of its corporate supporters to run its own social enterprise businesses.

Lifeline Hunter Central Coast CEO, Gillian Summers, said Hunter Water goes the extra mile to help save local lives.

Lifeline is one of three charity partners Hunter Water and its staff support. Hunter Water is a corporate 84amate workplace giving partner and its staff are able to make payroll dedications.

Gillian said Hunter Water and its staff go one step further making donations of quality goods for Lifeline to sell at its nine Hunter retail stores.

She said to celebrate Hunter Water’s support, and get staff in the spirit for a pre-Christmas donation of goods, Lifeline created a fun ‘style representation’ of various fashion weeks using clothing from Lifeline’s Designer Depot. Hunter Water staff donned outfits on a catwalk at Hunter Water HQ.

“There was some real talent among the staff and everyone had great fun,” Gillian said.

“The staff went away with a Lifeline bag which they brought back full of quality items to a follow up breakfast we put on for staff,” she said. “These are the sorts of fun and mutually beneficial ways we like to work with our partner and supporters.”

Lifeline Hunter Central Coast’s stores are revenue raising businesses, not welfare stores. They sell quality new and pre-loved fashion, home-wares and books at its stores to fund its local telephone crisis phone support, face to face counselling and other community suicide prevention programs.

Gillian said Lifeline is looking to work with more corporate supporters. Workplaces interested in being an 84amate corporate supporter of Lifeline should phone Vanessa Swilks on 4940 2000.

Suicide rates are at a 10 year high and are double the road toll. Lifeline Hunter Central Coast estimates it saves 5,000 lives a year but it relies on community support for more than 55 per cent of its funding.

If this story raises issues for you please call Lifeline (24 hours) on 13 11 14.