Life Matters Suicide Prevention Trust opened the doors of the new Hope Centre (Te Whare Tūmanako) at 63 Hanover St yesterday, offering a larger space to help those in the community who are struggling.
The trust, which began in 2014, has spent the past five years in its Albion Pl office and due to growing demand for the life-saving service needed to move to a new premises.
Life Matters Suicide Prevention Trust co-founder Corinda Taylor said she had started with a dream to have a centre that those struggling could visit and opening the new centre was a huge milestone for the organisation.
"I want this Hope Centre to be the beacon of light for all people who feel they cannot find the right support in a time of crisis," she said.
While packing up the old offices, she had come across a piece of paper and was surprised to see her son’s handwriting on it.
The paper had fallen from a painting titled "Happy Panda" which Ross had painted aged 13, and now sat on the wall of the new Hope Centre.
"It told me Ross is here with us in spirit, and this is his legacy.
Life Matters Suicide Prevention Trust co-general manager Clare Curran said the 15 peer support staff and volunteers would now have a space with an office with "more than one desk".
She said mental distress was common in a lot of people’s lives, and at some point each person at the centre had a lived experience of that, a factor that was important for some people seeking help.
"The Hope Centre is a place to feel listened to, to feel calm and supported, a place to go for specialist appointments, a place to find people who will advocate for you.
"We don’t try to fix you. What we will do is listen and validate your feelings and we will work together," she said.
