Lifeline Auckland’s Board of Trustees has agreed to suspend Mensline from Friday 5 March 2010, and is considering other fundraising and cost-cutting measures. After 15 years in operation, the five-day-a-week telephone counselling service that aims to address male suicide rates will now divert to the main 24-hour seven-day Lifeline number 0800 543 354, which is staffed by male and female volunteers. Lifeline Auckland acting CEO Peter Jansen says, “We say we’re suspending Mensline and considering other cost-cutting measures because we believe the economic climate will get better and when this happens we can reinstate it. It is simply a precautionary measure to ensure Lifeline Auckland continues to run its main telephone service.” These hopefully temporary cutbacks are a measure to try to ensure callers have somewhere to go 24/7, and for affordable face-to-face counselling services to be preserved. To support the work of Lifeline Auckland visit www.lifeline.org.nz to make an online donation.