THREE lunchtimes a fortnight and every Monday after school, a few middle aged adults can be seen in and around the grounds of West Somerset College in Minehead, chatting to students and staff who wish to pass the time of day with them.

They are not part of the staff but are volunteers with no set agenda or goals – other than to listen, to care and to help.

These are the watchwords of the group of 22 school pastors, an innovative scheme that impressed Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury and the most senior bishop in the Church of England, when he visited West Somerset, the school and the pastors in November.

“It’s really about having conversations, but first it’s about building trust and that takes time,” said Ian Candy, co-ordinator of Minehead Street Pastors and Minehead School Pastors.

While the street pastor work that originated in Birmingham after a drive-by shooting is now familiar to many people, and their calming presence has been recognised as valuable by the police, school pastors were originally a London-based initiative where inner city schools were asking for support.

Christians in Minehead were invited to come to West Somerset College as volunteers almost a year ago and have a presence there some lunchtimes, and the initiative continues to be run by the school, who have also helped with training.

“It was felt we could offer something different in a busy secondary college where there is little time to reflect – but we are not a religious organisation,” said Ian.

“Christianity is the reason our particular group do this work but others could do it, of course, and we don’t put that onto other people, it’s not important they share our view in any way.”

Sometimes, though, students do ask the pastors to pray for them, or they might ask who they are and why they are there, or they may ask quite deep questions such as ‘why am I here?’.

“We are not there to intrude, we are there to talk and if people want to share whatever they want to, that’s wonderful – but it’s not quick, we see it as a longterm process to gain the confidence of students, the college and staff,” he said.