Despite the frustrations of COVID-19 delays, Armidale's long-awaited Lifeline charity store is finally open.
It is one of the first of its kind — a combination shopping experience and home to two psychologists who will hold free face-to-face appointments in a post-COVID world.
Jess Woods is the store manager at the new store, having joined Lifeline as a peer support worker a little under two years ago.
She answered phones and referred people to services in the aftermath of the 2019 bushfires but has since seen Lifeline open its resources to the general population.
"So right now anyone can see them and it's free."
Crisis line 'completely overwhelmed'
Across a tough 18 months in regional Australia it is not surprising Lifeline services have seen a 25 per cent increase in demand.
Seventy per cent of those services are funded by charity stores which have seen a dramatically reduced income due to restrictions.
Ms Woods said at times during the past two years the increased demand for the crisis line had seen the system become completely overwhelmed.
Aaron Harris is a 23-year-old Armidale man who worked tirelessly as a Lifeline volunteer to get the store ready, even while seeking paid employment.
"It's a great experience because I need to build up my resume and it's so rewarding," he said.
"I'm looking for work, but until then I want to make myself useful."
Ms Woods said Mr Harris was instrumental in the store's set-up and readiness.
"We're so lucky to have him, and he's got all these new skills and an amazing work ethic," she said.
Katy O'Malley joined Lifeline at the same time as Ms Woods and the two friends have been working together on the Armidale project on and off since August.
Ms O'Malley said the store was part of an expansion of services in New England, including the hopes of a hub store in Tamworth.
"It's in the pipeline. Tamworth is a big project," she said.
"It's an important service and it's only going to grow.
"There is a huge gap in the New England area and we are so happy to be able to fill a little bit of that gap."
Lifeline said people in rural populations were twice as likely to die by suicide.
Ms O'Malley said she had a dream to one day localise the Lifeline phone service.
"Local people understand local issues and locals supporting locals has such a big effect," she said.
"The issues we face in the country are so different than the city."
