PARISHIONERS turned out in force at a service last Sunday to welcome their new parish priest.

The Rev Phillip Cochrane was installed as the new incumbent at St Barnabas Church in Weeke, after two years of temporary vicars and members of the clergy taking services.

A congregation of 265 people attended the service, and Rev Cochrane said it was his challenge to develop the community in Weeke, Harestock and Teg Down.

He said: “The community here have had a really challenging two years as a church community.

“When my predecessor left it the interest dropped a bit, and the community were not sure what the future was going to be.

“But in the past year with support from other churches the interest has picked up again.

“It’s been hanging on in there and there has been a period of waiting for a new vicar to come in, and I’m certain this will lead to something.”

Rev Cochrane, 41, came from Fareham where he helped establish a community hub, including adult education programmes, and said he is looking to do similar things in Winchester.

He said: “The challenge facing the church is to connect with the community. The people here are wonderful and warm and they want to grow, and I hope that together we will do that.

“The church at St Barnabas is going to re-imagine itself and see what it means to be a church in the 21st century.”

Rev Cochrane said he was also looking forward to working with other agencies to create a new community building for the area.