Our Team

Kerry Woods

I am a volunteer at Bidwill Uniting and I live in Bidwill. I volunteer because I love helping people and giving back.

Deb Clark

I am a volunteer at Bidwill Uniting. I love to volunteer because I meet a lot of new people and I like to work with the community.

Annette Philippe

Hi my name is Annette and I am a volunteer at Bidwill Uniting. I volunteer because I like to help people in and around the area of Mt Druitt and it helps me as well.

Carole Attard

I love volunteering because it gets me out and about and I really enjoy it. I meet a lot of different people and I feel like I’m doing something good.

Susan Borwell

My name is Susan and the reason I like volunteering at the After School Program is because it is nice to be helping in the community, and interacting with the children and ladies in the group.

Vicki Pollard

I help out with the After School Program, and various other events and activities.

I like helping here because I’m helping in the community anyway that I can. It fills my bucket!

Bec Reidy

I love working here because I am inspired daily by the strength and courage of the people of this community that we work with. I love to get alongside people and learn together and try to change the world together!

I have over 20 years of experience in the community sector and over 15 years of experience in community development in public housing communities.

Chantal Attard

My name is Chantal! I am one of the staff members of Bidwill Uniting. I coordinate a number of programs including the Creative Space and I also support the Bidwill Community Garden. I am passionate about our community and about what we can offer them so that they can build Social Capital and learn new skills and be proud of what they can achieve!

Michelle Sheean

Hi my name is Michelle, I am a Bidwill community member, and have been working at Bidwill Uniting for 6 years. I would like to welcome the community to come in and have chat.

I coordinate programs like the After School Program and the Wellbeing Group.

Kaylah Muller

Hi, I’m Kaylah. I work with families that come along to programs at Bidwill Uniting.

I also work for The Hive and through them help out with the Busy Bees playgroup, the Bidwill After School Program and various resident engagement projects and school holiday programs.

I believe children learn from their environment and social interactions that can lead them on the pathway of their life.

Makeeta Stubbings

Hi my name is Makeeta, I work for Hopestreet as a Community Development Coordinator.

I work out of Bidwill Uniting two days a week to connect the Mt Druitt community together to build a stronger, safer and better community for our younger generations.

Faith Astle

Chairperson

I am a retired physiotherapist, having worked in hospitals, private practice and aged care. I am Chair of the Church Council at Springwood Uniting Church at the moment and on several occasions in the past we have had representatives from Bidwill speak to our congregation.

As Chairperson of the Western region Uniting Board among other things, I had the privilege of reading and evaluating the grant applications from across the region. This included over the years quite a few applications from Bidwill which enabled me to get to know the programs and support provided to the community and to see what the staff hoped to achieve. I have remained interested in the amazing work and achievements of the staff.

As a member of the Parramatta Nepean Presbytery I have heard regular reports of this work and I am keen to support this work as a member of the Bidwill Uniting Board.

I have over 20 years of experience in the community sector and over 15 years of experience in community development in public housing communities.

Pastor Rick Johnson

Secretary

I have been involved in the life and ministry of the Uniting Church and other organisations for a long time and am passionate about serving in this way. I have been a part-time Pastor at Lane Cove Uniting Church and a casual Pastor at Forbes Uniting Church since 2012. I was previously the Volunteer Coordinator for Uniting Care Ageing (Northern Sydney Region) from 2007- 2009. I was also the CEO of Kairos Prison Ministry Australia from 2005- 2007.

I have a Bachelor of Business and approximately 25 years of experience in the corporate world, filling roles in IT Project Management in the Banking and Finance sector. I am keen to use these skills to support the work of Bidwill Uniting.

Sulochana Muralidaran

Treasurer

Sulo currently works for a bank in the Advice and Insurance space. She is specialised in technology, customer, marketing and finance. She has previously worked at state and federal government agencies in the technology space and volunteers in a sports club and a high-school children mentoring program.

Rev Mel Macarthur

I am an ordained Uniting Church Minister, supposedly retired. I have served as a parish minister and as a chaplain to a major hospital and hospice.

My professional background is in social work, which has included an eight-year stint with the Department of Community Services, including five years in the overnight crisis service.

My academic background spans fifty continuous years at one university or another. The last thirty years have been spent reading for research degrees. Finishing this process is not an option.

My other major interests are hiking in remote areas (mostly Tasmania) and long distance pilgrimages, by foot. I am always planning my next trip…

Steve Pederson

I am currently the Community Development and Inclusion Practice Lead for Hopestreet Baptistcare, however I spent 6 years managing Hopestreet Western Sydney – a place-based collective impact initiative on Darug Country, Mount Druitt. I have a background in social justice orientated ministry and extensive experience in community development, establishing social enterprises and community led initiatives for over 10 years in Telopea. My current work with HopeStreet focuses on the development of systemic change around family support and employment, alongside community organising and co-design strategies. Hopestreet continues to work closely with Bidwill Uniting and I am pleased to support the work by participating in the Bidwill Uniting Board.

Emeline Kite

I am currently the coordinator of the Home Interaction Program for Parents and Youngsters (HIPPY) in Bidwill. HIPPY is an early education program with a focus on building the capacity of families in the area through employment, training, and by providing culturally safe networking opportunities between community members. I have a degree in Human and Community Services and am passionate about ensuring that local families have the resources and support needed to work towards their own goals. As a local resident of the Blacktown LGA, I am also a member of the Blacktown City Councils Advisory Committee for Women. I work closely with Bidwill Uniting on the ground and am very happy to support the work by being on the Bidwill Uniting Board.

John K. Martin

I have held a variety of technical and general management roles for over 25 years in a large Australian corporation, and for the last 15 years have been working as a part-time Property Development Manager for Uniting NSW.ACT, as well as providing professional consulting assignments across the Uniting Church in Australia and in the not-for-profit sector.

I aim to help not-for-profit organisations with their business operations, property and IT strategy to assist them achieve their organisational goals in a just and socially responsible way.

I am an active member of a number of Uniting Church Synod and Presbytery property and business committees and have held several NFP board directorships. I am a long time supporter of Bidwill Uniting and continue to serve by being on the Bidwill Uniting Board.