Anglicare’s
Bridges Collie Project

The Revd Wendy Gilbert, Priest-in-Charge, Parish of Applecross

The Parish of Applecross supports Anglicare’s Bridges Collie project, in response to the fifth Mark of Mission, Treasure - to strive to safeguard the integrity of creation and sustain and renew the life of the earth.

This Mission outreach enables people from five to eighty-five years old to participate in an active way to treasure God’s creation. Parishioners and members of the community involved in St David’s Community Hub simply collect plastic lids.

This project enables differing abled men and women in the Collie area to be employed in the sorting of plastic lids into the various colours. These are then transported to Boddington Reduce, Reuse, Recycle (RRR). As a collection point Boddington RRR collects all kinds of plastics to be sorted and processed into a new life, shape, and use. On your travels around Boddington, you can see creations made from recycled materials - park benches, sculptures, pot plants and more.

Recently, members of the Applecross Parish Council went on a road trip to Collie, in the company and direction of Anglicare’s Chaplain, Fr Chris Thomason. On arrival we were warmly welcomed into the Bridges Collie community space – almost as warmly as our gift of collected plastic lids – with time for participants and helpers to proudly explain and describe the steps involved in this project. This project gives purpose, love, pride, and enthusiasm to the participants. With love we gave plastic lids.

We left Collie that day overwhelmed with gratitude to God.

Published in Messenger February 2025