LIFE-LINE CALLS

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32214, 5 February 1970, Page 10

LIFE-LINE CALLS

Record Number Received A record number of 764 I calls for personal help were received by the Life-Line service run by the Christchurch Methodist Central Mission in the three months to Decern-! ber 31, the liaison officer (Mrs N. Johnston) said yesterday. This was 75 calls more than the previous record established in July, August and September last year. Of the calls received, 281 were in October, 253 in November and 230 in December. The biggest number—lss— from lonely, ill and depressed people. There were 143 people who wanted general guidance, 133 who asked for marriage guidance help and 96 who requested guidance with family problems. Other calls .ncluded social welfare (90), psychiatric and emotional (64), finance and legal (28), unmarried mothers (23). alcoholism and | drugs (21) and spiritual guidance (11). During the three months there was a big demand for personal counselling interviews and 260 were given. The trouble team was called out 48 times and 41 afterhours calls were received. There were 28 calls from persons who threatened or attempted suicide and five calls for the new caring division. Mrs Johnston said that last month there was a slight decrease in the total number of calls, possibly because of the more relaxed holiday conditions, but the number of calls from lonely and depressed people rose steeply. Last month the trouble team was called out 22 times nearly twice as many times as in December. i