Despite help from Trinity Methodist Church in Napier for the GayOk group, backing from local schools, funding bodies and the wider community was not forthcoming.

"There is a real stigma around homosexuality in Hawke's Bay and it truly does take a toll on gay youths," GayOk co-founder Jason Gerbes said.

"We were trying to provide support for the gay community in Hawke's Bay, which personally we found a lack of."

Trinity Methodist's Reverend Tony Franklin-Ross, 46, an "out-gay minister", was keen to help GayOk.

"The parish has had a mission statement for a number of years to be inclusive across a range of aspects such as age, gender, culture and sexuality," Mr Franklin-Ross said.

"The prominent discourse in the media is that the church has a negative attitude towards sexuality, but we were happy to say 'we don't affirm that'."

If youth lacked a sense of belonging, they would go where there was a better sense of community and more support services, he said.

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