Wellington'S new youth worker wants to bring help and hope to the town.

A special commissioning service for 35-year-old Gary Walker was held at the town's Baptist Church on Sunday evening.

He has been enlisted by the new Wellington Christian Youth Trust, which has been founded by Bulford Family Church, the Kings Church, Rockwell Green Christian Fellowship and the Baptist Church.

His remit is to work with schools and churches, co-ordinating existing outreach projects to connect with young people and initiate new projects where appropriate.

And spreading the Christian message is just part of his role.

"My personal motivation is my faith but my aim is to reach those who are on the edge of society or come from difficult backgrounds," said Gary.

"My job is to work with those who are completely outside the church and those young people who really struggle -- we are here to offer help and hope."

Originally from Walsall in the West Midlands, Gary's church-based youth work has taken him all over the British Isles, from Northern Ireland, just outside Belfast, to rural and urban areas of Nottingham and, during the past two years, Taunton's Halcon estate.

The married father of four -- two boys and two girls, aged between seven-years-old and five months -- said he was attracted to the Wellington job by the way the trust's churches share common goals for the town.

"It was presented as a real vision of churches working together with a real sense of unity," he said. "That's where I'm at and where the trust is as well."

He is keen to see other churches in the town get involved in the trust's work, spiritually and practically, if not financially.

The youth worker has already become involved in several projects within the town, since he was recruited in October.

The Bus Ministry is a converted double-decker in Somerfield's car park every Monday evening between 7.30pm and 9.30pm.

"It offers a safe environment for young people who wouldn't normally enter established youth club facilities," Gary explained, adding that up to 40 young people aged from 14 to their early 20s turn up each week.

"It is a group of young people who are prone to hanging about and are focussed on as trouble makers."

The ministry gives the youngsters positive pursuits to focus their energies on, including games of football and street hockey.

The Rock Solid Club meets at Wellington's Baptist Church every Friday night, between 7.30pm and 9pm. Again the focus is on games and activities.

The 11 to 14-year-old members take part in discussion groups on thought provoking emotional and spiritual subjects -- tonight's topic, for example, is gossip.

And Gary is also involved in Court Fields Community School's Christian Union, which meets every Friday lunchtime.