Ali’s involvement with St Mary’s Church began when she inspired the community to volunteer to clear an overgrown part of the churchyard to create a reflective space to mark the Queen’s Jubilee in 2022. The Olive Garden and Tree of Life mosaic were dedicated to be used for prayer and worship. It was also part of the church's journey towards becoming more eco-friendly.

Another project that involved members of the local community coming together was the Celtic-style mosaic cross that was originally created to stand in the churchyard. Around 20 local residents worked on the art project, which involved placing coloured glass onto a wooden structure. It included Biblical images, as well as symbols representing God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

The latest completed project is a mosaic that features smugglers, as there is a history of smuggling along this part of the Isle of Wight coast. It will be installed shortly outside the village hall. And the current project is one for the church porch on the theme of Christmas carols.

Ali was one of the first people, four years ago, to attend the Pioneering Parishes 'First Steps' course - which is an online four-session introduction to pioneering led by the Church Mission Society (CMS). Ali realised she was indeed a pioneer through attending this course and had many in-depth conversations with Tina. Ali now shares her story of how she came to be a pioneer as part this course that Tina runs. Ali completed the one year Certificate in Theology, Ministry and Mission with CMS/Durham University last year.