There is also a weekend of face-to-face training (held in August) followed by one or two days of on-the-job- training, where the members act out calls to practice what they have learnt during the year.

"Someone will pretend to call you and you then talk to them and the trainer will assess your suitability for taking calls."

Ms Moon says when the volunteers are assessed as ready they can choose the most convenient times to volunteer to take calls.

"Perhaps your kids go to school and 10am to noon, once a week is suitable," she says. "Otherwise you might be a night person and take calls once or twice a week from 9pm to 11pm, whilst reading a book or watching a video or DVD that you can start and stop between calls." She says some volunteers may receive a couple of calls in a two hour period and some might not receive any. "It depends on the time you choose to take the calls," she says. If you are interested in starting the February training course, then please ring Wendy Moon on 6553144. Or write to MPS at P.O. Box 180 Taree and someone will contact you. You may also contact Carmel Jeffreys, coordinator of Pregnancy Help Sydney Inc. on 9602 6100 to find out more about the telephone counselling course. The 1300 number for Pregnancy assistance is 1300 792 798 and the local number is 6551 3900.

MPS also conducts an annual healing service for those who have experienced the loss of a child, at any age and for any reason. This is non denominational and has been held in various churches over the years. In recent years it has been held at the Pampoolah Memorial Gardens with different ministers of religion running the service each year in the chapel. MPS is very appreciative of the Gardens for providing this very valuable service for free, including refreshments for those who attend after the service.

There is also a meeting held every third Tuesday of the month at noon in the Resource centre next to the Catholic Church and Court House in Taree. A small number of members are currently taking calls from those seeking assistance in relation to a pregnancy, but cannot take the local calls full time.

History of the group

MPS commenced in Taree in March 1994 as a registered charity and subsequently incorporated under the Companies Act as Manning Pregnancy Support Association Incorporated (MPS). Later MPS affiliated with the Australian Federation of Pregnancy Support (or Pregnancy Help Australia) to get some external support especially as a close link to Government information and contacts.

They also offered courses in telephone counselling and provided public liability insurance for active counsellors.

However since then the Government assistance and running of courses has been withdrawn because of ethical differences but they still provide the insurance. In 2002 (or thereabouts) MPS affiliated with NSW Pregnancy Support, also known at Pregnancy Help Sydney.

They operate the central contact service now provided by the 1300 telephone help number. They also take the local Taree area calls due to lack of volunteers trained to take the calls themselves.