St Martin’s Foothills – a heart for community

St Martin’s Foothills Uniting Church is located in Forrestfield, across the road from a busy shopping precinct. It was the first new congregation formed within the Uniting Church in Australia, post Union, with a vision to provide outreach into the Perth eastern metropolitan suburbs in the foothills of the Darling Range escarpment. Having heard about their Op-Shop and Community Centre I decided to go out there for a visit.
Article by Wendy Hendry, first published in the April 2025 Edition of Revive magazine.

Pulling into the driveway on a Thursday morning, the car park was a hive of activity as the Op- Shop was preparing to open for the morning trade, and Marty’s Community Centre adjacent was getting ready for its weekly open- house style gathering. Customers had already begun rummaging through racks and displays at the Op-Shop a few minutes ahead of the opening time of 9.00am, and volunteers were busily working through donations, and tending to their assigned roles for the morning.

30 Years of Service

The Op-Shop at St Martin’s Uniting Church commenced operations in August 1995 and will soon be marking 30 years of service to the community. It began as a small enterprise set up in the corner of the church hall and gradually expanded into the whole hall, and now incorporates sorting areas, storage sheds and even expanding into the main church sanctuary on opening days to enable goods to be tested, sorted and prepared for their destination.

Back in 1995, the vision of the Op- Shop, supported by the minister at the time Rev Bill Jenkins, was that in 30 years time it would be “a well organised building providing a wide range of goods, reaching deeply into the community, leading the way as a model for other Churches in mission and fellowship.” The bustling Op-Shop today is a testament to this vision.

Mary Tulloch kindly spent some time showing me around the shop and explaining to me the way everything is run. Mary is the Op-Shop co-ordinator, and has been involved since it began almost 30 years ago. As part of her role she ensures new volunteers are inducted and takes care of some of the administration tasks.

St Martin’s Op-Shop is made possible by the work of approximately 40 volunteers – from the congregation and wider community – who generously give their time and expertise to the operations. Donated goods are diligently sorted, priced and arranged according to seasonal need. Storage sheds are utilised for out-of-season goods, with a special shed set aside for stock suitable for Christmas, some of which is given to the ‘Sharing A Hills Christmas’ appeal, a combined initiative of local churches, schools and businesses in the Kalamunda region. There are even volunteers who ‘work from home’ helping to sort puzzles, test electronics and toys, and assist with mending and ironing.

Well established community connections are evident as Mary and Janice, a community volunteer who co-ordinates incoming and outgoing donations and helps manage volunteers, described the many ways stock is distributed, not just to be sold in the shop front, but donated to other groups as needed. They shared with me the connections with schools through the local chaplains, where items such as books, toys, and even quality ballgowns are gifted to be used by local school students as needed. Other items such as hygiene and personal care products are bundled into care packs for people experiencing homelessness, and for local women’s refuges.

The strength of relationships across the community are evident. As well as donations from local community, there are around 26 organisations as well as individuals who regularly give items to St Martin’s Op-Shop, and close to 40 charities and community groups who receive goods from the centre for assorted needs. You really get a sense of an encouraging circle of support amongst individuals and groups who all have the shared vision of helping the community.

The volunteers ensure stock is regularly refreshed in the shop, and they have an ongoing arrangement with Uniting Church agency, Good Sammy Enterprises who collect surplus stock on a twice-weekly basis to be used through their op- shop and recycling systems.

Janice also emphasised the focus on sustainability, finding ways to ensure there is minimal waste with their donations to reduce landfill.

Funds from the Op-Shop support a range of church and community initiatives, including support for YouthCare, UnitingWA, and regular donations to international projects supported by the Uniting Church’s International Partnerships and Development Commission.

A Cuppa and Community

Marty’s Community Centre is a weekly initiative that is currently run every Thursday morning at the church. Volunteers greet people with a friendly smile, and a warm and welcoming atmosphere. I was greeted by Nely Watson, co-ordinator of the Community Centre who explained some of the background of the space, as well as sharing with me some future plans for the centre.

The community centre was originally built in 2004 with a Lotterywest grant to be used as a low-cost food centre run byvolunteers from the congregation and community. As the years went on, major food retail stores opened up nearby, and the food centre became harder to sustain. The congregation eventually made the decision to cease the food centre operations.

Now volunteers run a drop-in style space on Thursday mornings, offering a barista coffee or cup of tea and homemade treats to anyone who walks through the door.

It was clear upon visiting that there were many regulars who attended the centre for a cuppa and community, as well as people who drop in after visiting the Op-Shop. All are welcome. Norma, a regular at Marty’s who used to volunteer at the food centre when it was operating, now enjoys coming along for conversation and friendly company. One of the other regulars picks her up every week so she can attend. During their gatherings birthdays are celebrated, stories are shared, and they regularly have activities for people to take part in.

The coffee and cakes are freely given, however there is a donation jar nearby for people who wish to make a contribution. Funds from these donations are split between assisting with running costs, and a donation to Frontier Services. Last year they were able to donate $700 to Frontier Services from this jar!

An important part of Marty’s community centre is the free bread products they are able to offer thanks to donations from local supermarkets. The bread is brought in on Thursday morning and displayed on shelves ready for anyone who wishes to take an item home. Beryl (pictured) is a regular volunteer who helps display and give out the bread. She’s been doing it long enough to know to set
aside certain items for regulars!

During my visit I was delighted to hear of the newest development coming from this wonderful community-led initiative. At their recent congregation meeting St Martin’s Foothills Uniting Church have agreed to partner with Orange Sky, a not-for-profit organisation offering a free mobile laundry service. The service will set up weekly on Thursdays, after the Op-Shop closes, offering free laundry for people in need in the community. During the operations of the Orange Sky laundry van the congregation will provide a BBQ for anyone attending. Partnering with this highly regarded volunteer-led organisation will offer yet another opportunity for the congregation to serve the foothills community.

The combination of the Op-Shop and Marty’s Community Centre creates an energy and vibrancy around St Martin’s Foothills Uniting Church that spreads out into the community. Thank you to Nely Watson, Mary Tulloch, and their amazing teams of volunteers who not only made me feel so welcome, but so wonderfully demonstrated Christian hospitality and service in action.