A group of rural churches in the Peasedown St John area have welcomed a new trainee vicar, who is serving on placement with them for 8 weeks.

Caroline McKinnell is training as an assistant priest at Sarum College in Salisbury and part of her curricular activities is to spend time 'on the ground' in an Anglican parish.

She also serves as chaplain to the police team in Wells.

Caroline said:

"I'm looking forward to working with Rev Matthew Street and the team in the St J's Group. I've heard so many good things about what the church is doing in the community to reach out to others and support those in need."

Caroline lives in Wells with her husband, Derek, and they are currently sharing their house with three generations of Ukrainian women.

She has worked in education both as a woodwork and metalwork teacher and as a pastoral support worker. Previous career roles have included sourcing emergency aircraft for transplant organs and building film and theatre sets.

"I've always tried to adopt a positive and forward-thinking approach to life," added Caroline, "Due to a deteriorating congenital spinal condition, I'm now a regular wheelchair user and am keen to focus on what I can do, rather than what I can't!"

Caroline will be getting involved with various pastoral and community-based activities around the three churches in the St J's Group over the next two months, from attending school assemblies to preaching in church, and from supporting the church's children's outreach work to volunteering at Peasedown's Hive Community Centre.

Leader at the St J's Group, Revd Matthew Street, added:

"We're looking forward to welcoming Caroline in all our churches. Her experiences in teaching, police work and the arts will be of huge value to us and the work we do across the community."

For more details about the work of the St J's Group, readers can follow them on Twitter, @stjsgroup, or visit their website, www.stjsgroup.church