HUDDERSFIELD'S diversity attracted a new vicar to the town.

The Rev Calvert Prentis officially took over at Holy Trinity Church in Trinity Street during a special cere- mony conducted by the Bishop of Wakefield, the Rt Rev Stephen Platten.

Mr Prentis, 43, has now moved to Huddersfield and lives yards from the church with wife Sharon and their daughter, Maya, nine.

Mr Prentis's last post was at St George's Church in Leeds, which saw him ministering both in the city centre and wider communities.

He was at Leeds for five years.

Before that, he had spent his three-year curacy - or training period - in Coventry, ministering to the city's Wood End estate.

Mr Prentis said: "I have always had urban experiences of the ministry.

"I applied for the post in Huddersfield because for a small town it demonstrates diversity and it is multi-cultural. Everyone seems to live in harmony."

Mr Prentis was originally an upholsterer. He was made redundant in 1984 and in 1985, he moved from his home in Leeds to go to college in Birkenhead.

He started working again, but was made redundant again in 1986.

So he went down to the Midlands to live in Coventry and, while unemployed, he began volunteering for charitable work.

Mr Prentis was already a member of the Anglican church, but he also volunteered for PrisonLink, which involved visiting people in jails across the Midlands.

He also worked with homeless people at a men's hostel in Birmingham for two years.

Mr Prentis said: "I was in the church at the time and got involved in youth work and charity work.

"I felt that because I was made redundant it was a sign that there was something more I could do with the church."

He trained for the ministry and began his curacy in 1997.

Mr Prentis, now an experienced vicar, hopes to make Holy Trinity Church more of a success.

He said: "I hope the church can connect with the local community in new and exciting ways.

"I want to serve the community and be part of its diversity.

"The church will be there for anyone and everyone.

"Our door is open and we want to be there to help and show tolerance as the community faces difficulties."