Additional reporting by Melissa Stewart | Communications Coordinator | The Uniting Church in Australia, Synod of NSW and the ACT

(Photo: Frontier Services National Director, Jannine Jackson with Bush Chaplains (from left) Revs Karama Ioapo, Sunil Kadaparambil and John Dihm of the Kennedy (QLD), Parkin-Sturt (SA) and Pilbara (WA) Remote Areas, respectively.)

Last week at the Sydney Mint, Frontier Services revealed its refreshed brand to an excited crowd of committed supporters and partners, wonderful volunteers and representatives from other Uniting Church agencies.

Before unveiling the refreshed brand, Frontier Services National Director, Jannine Jackson acknowledged founder Rev John Flynn’s work and emphasised the need to provide a ‘Mantle of Safety’ is greater now more than ever.

“The need 105 years later is just as great if not more,” she said. “We may have refreshed our look, but our vision remains the same; that all people, regardless of where they live in Australia, can have a fulfilled life and access to health care and support when they need it.”

Jannine explained that through Frontier Services’ dedicated Bush Chaplains and skilled Outback Links volunteers, the agency continues to bridge the gap for people living in remote areas by providing practical, pastoral and spiritual care in remote and rural Australia.

“Our Bush Chaplains are on the frontline and are often first responders in remote communities,” she said. “Visiting people on properties for a cuppa and a chat, they lend a sympathetic ear, can offer practical support and refer people on to other service providers as appropriate.”

“They fulfil a role that most people struggle to do.”

Part of the brand refresh was to better articulate Frontier Services’ mission and what it provides to remote communities. With that, the brand logo was unveiled with the tagline ‘Standing with people in the bush’.

Jannine went on to explain the new orange-hued logo in the shape of Australia.

“We have adopted the beautiful colours of the Outback to represent our unity with people in the bush. Our logo is an abstract visual of Australia, made up of two arms holding the centre of the country.”

To give a perspective on what that means, Rev John Dihm took to the floor to share his experience as a Bush Chaplain. With his current chaplaincy based in Tom Price, Rev Dihm works closely with Rio Tinto’s fly-in-fly-out workers, who experience high suicide rates and people dealing with mental health issues.

“It’s tough for the people I support,” he said. “Since I joined the Pilbara Remote Area in 2013, we’ve had nearly 27 deaths; some from accidents and illnesses but many from suicides.”

“But some people are still here today because our supporters’ generosity meant I was there when they needed someone to listen to them, to care.”

Jannine said, “Frontier Services currently has 11 Bush Chaplains but aims to reach 25 in the future”.

To help us put more Bush Chaplains on the road and help change lives in remote Australia, simply visit our donation page or call 1300 787 247.

Click here to view some wonderful photos of our brand refresh event.