Held at the Orange Ex-Services Club, the shop was awarded with the Return and Earn Liter Prevention Award, an award that acknowledges the hard work of the shop’s volunteers. 

“The volunteers here at the op shop assist people recycle their cans and bottles,” volunteer and Bathurst councillor Bobby Burke said.

“They also assist in keeping it clean.

“Out of the three Return and Earns in Bathurst, this is probably the busiest one and one of the most central ones for Bathurst.

“It’s really good to see the volunteers’ work acknowledged with this reward.”

Two volunteers from the op shop – Janene Sharwood and Moria Johnson – travelled to Orange for the awards night, with Cr Burke saying they were over the moon when Bathurst was announced the winner.

On the night, the Bathurst Community Op Shop went up against another five candidates for the award. 

“This award is really good for our volunteers. It’s a really nice award to win,” Cr Burke said.

The Return and Earn reverse vending machine near the op shop, at 8 Lions Club Drive, was installed back in January.

Within the first two weeks of its installation, 250,000 items were returned.

A recycling truck currently goes out to the RVM two to three times a day, depending on how busy the machine has been. 

It is one of three RVMs in Bathurst, alongside the one at Bathurst Recycling in Upfold Street at Gormans Hill and at the RMS. 

Currently, the RVM located near the op shop allows users to donated money to Can Assist and the Daffodil Cottage. 

Cr Bourke is encouraging users of the RVM to donate to Can Assist and the Daffodil Cottage outside the Return and Earn scheme.

“We’ve been helping out Can Assist since the RVM opened here, but that will finish at the end of the year,” he said.

“It would be good if people could donate to them in general, in the lead up to Christmas.”