Community event to take flight

LOCALS of all ages will put their folding skills and throwing arms to the test next month in a light-hearted paper plane throwing competition designed to bring the community together.

Hosted by the St Albans/St Andrews Uniting Church, the championship event will take place on June 13 from 5.30pm at the church’s Wilsons Road site in St Albans Park.

It is the second year the small congregation has held the event, which was initially inspired by the 2015 Australian film Paper Planes, a story about a young boy who discovers a talent for making paper planes and dreams of competing against the world’s best.

Reverend Jeanne Beale, who joined the congregation in September 2023, said the event was part of her efforts to reach out to the wider community and create a community hub.

“We’re a little congregation and we want to reach out to our wider community and offer things that draw community together,” she said.

As part of the efforts, the congregation is wanting to offer more community events, with a talent show also on the calendar for early November.

The Paper Plane Throwing Championships event is free to attend and open to all ages, with the competition divided into five age categories, ranging from children aged five and under through to seniors.

“We have a sausage sizzle that’s free and we play games throughout that get prizes… just so everyone can be involved,” Ms Beale said.

Those who fold their way to glory in their age category will win a $20 prize, before they battle it out among themselves to determine a grand champion, with a $50 prize on offer.

Ms Beale said anyone is welcome to have someone else make their paper plane, but to even the throwing field, all competing planes must be made on-site, rather than brought from home.

For more information, head to thesaints.unitingchurch.org.au .