Dan Wright and Que President, Kath Whitchurch. Dan left the meeting, loaded with teddy bears. There are now enough to put a couple of Que teddy bears in every ambulance in the area but, please, keep on knitting.
Parkes Safe Haven opened its doors on 15th March, 2022, and since then has had 1,100 presentations of people struggling and in need of help. Safe Haven helps identify further services for appropriate support that is both immediate and ongoing.
Safe Haven is a friendly, emotional support facility for people with problems, often despairing or very lonely, some even contemplating suicide.
Ambulance Officer, Dan Wright spoke to Que Club members about this amazing facility 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.
Dan decided something needed to be done and that he would create a place to catch people before they reached crisis point. After two years of extremely hard work, calling on everyone he knew to help, he finally raised $510,000 to set up the Safe Haven. It is doing a remarkable job and as a result, ambulance callouts and death numbers have dramatically decreased.
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 with a problem is welcome.
Safe Haven can only help needy people if they know about it. That’s where we all can help. Tell your friends, your kids, your parents, everyone. We can all help save lives.
Safe Haven is located at 3/195-199 Clarinda Street, and is open on weekdays from 10am. You can contact Safe Haven on 0428 228 097.