benefice,churches together,discernment,equality,justice,missional,pcc,social justice,stress,together for the church of,tradition,young people

Charlotte Lait

Carlisle

House of Laity

Full Election Address Text

Charlotte Lait – General Synod 2026
Proposer: James Mossop
Seconder: Julia Sharpe

To my family in Christ,

Having felt prompted by the spirit and encouraged by
some trusted friends and colleagues, I am pleased to
offer myself as a candidate for the upcoming
quinquennium of General Synod. I live in West Cumbria
and am proud to serve the Benefice of Workington as
Reader/LLM. I have been married to my husband,
Adam, since July 2012 and we have lived in Cumbria
since 2018, where we have just bought our first house.

A bit about me:
During my career to date I have worked predominantly with children and young
people, firstly as a church-based Children and Families Worker, starting in Preston
and then in Northampton, and later as a primary school Teaching Assistant, during
which time I worked predominantly with neurodivergent children who needed extra
support in the classroom. In my current role as Exams Invigilator, I carefully
administer examinations and support the young people in my charge, at a time which
is often fraught with stress and worry. Alongside this role, which is seasonal by its
nature, I have provided part-time administrative support to Churches Together in
Cumbria since August 2025. This provides me with a great opportunity to work with
colleagues from other denominations from around the county and to find out all the
varied ways in which God is at work in our midst.

I spent formative years as a child singing regularly in a church choir in the then
Bradford Diocese, and know first-hand what a fantastic missional opportunity church
choirs can provide, as well as the experience and education children and young
people can access through the Anglican choral tradition. At 18 I went to university,
where I developed a passion for social justice alongside studying for my degree in
Religious Studies. Upon leaving university I worked for five years as a Children and
Families Worker, and then as I was no longer employed by the church I worshipped
in, supported the church by serving on the PCC of St Mary the Virgin, Finedon.
Following our move to Cumbria from Northamptonshire, I trained as a Reader with
Emmanuel Theological College and was licensed to the Benefice of Workington in
November 2023. Alongside this, I am also serving as Lay Chair to the newly formed
Workington Deanery, and look forward to finding out more about what this role has in
store for me.

Issues that are important to me:
Having worked with neurodivergent children in an educational setting for a number of
years, I am keen to see the church fully live into its commitment to making church
more accessible for neurodivergent people, enabling everyone to participate and
contribute fully to the life of the church. I support equality for LQBTQ+ people at all
levels and roles within the church. I am also passionate about gender equality in
churches, and know very well that whilst significant progress has been made
towards gender equality in recent years, there is still work to be done in this regard. I
long for a church in which people are cherished equally as children of God,
regardless of any attribute or circumstance, and are able to be fully welcomed and
participate in church life in an open and honest way. I am proud to support the aims
of Together for the Church of England.

To contribute to the governance of the church I love, and to share in the discernment
of God’s path for it by serving on General Synod would be a privilege and a
responsibility which I would not take lightly. I have responded to the prompting I
have felt to offer myself for this role prayerfully, and I turn those prayers now to the
members of the Deanery Synods across Carlisle Diocese who will be voting in the
coming weeks. I hope you will give me your first preference vote, or highest
preference after that.

Please do feel free to contact me by email if you would like to know anything further.

Yours faithfully,

Charlotte Lait

[email protected]
Please don’t forget to send in your votes and to have your say in the shape of the
next General Synod. The deadline for submitting votes is on 13th October 2026.

Terms used in address

benefice,churches together,discernment,equality,justice,missional,pcc,social justice,stress,together for the church of,tradition,young people

Theological Tradition Terms

together for the church of

Theological Tradition Sentences

I am proud to support the aims of Together for the Church of England.

Sexuality, Marriage & LLF/PLF Terms

Sexuality, Marriage & LLF/PLF Sentences

Safeguarding Terms

Safeguarding Sentences

Evangelism, Mission & Church Growth Terms

missional

Evangelism, Mission & Church Growth Sentences

Doctrine & Formularies Terms

discernment,tradition

Doctrine & Formularies Sentences

Society, Justice & Inclusion Terms

equality,justice,social justice

Society, Justice & Inclusion Sentences

At 18 I went to university, where I developed a passion for social justice alongside studying for my degree in Religious Studies. ------ I support equality for LQBTQ+ people at all levels and roles within the church. ------ I am also passionate about gender equality in churches, and know very well that whilst significant progress has been made towards gender equality in recent years, there is still work to be done in this regard.

Clergy Concerns Terms

stress

Clergy Concerns Sentences

In my current role as Exams Invigilator, I carefully administer examinations and support the young people in my charge, at a time which is often fraught with stress and worry.

Church Structure & Policy Terms

benefice,pcc

Church Structures & Policy Sentences

I live in West Cumbria and am proud to serve the Benefice of Workington as Reader/LLM. ------ Upon leaving university I worked for five years as a Children and Families Worker, and then as I was no longer employed by the church I worshipped in, supported the church by serving on the PCC of St Mary the Virgin, Finedon. ------ Following our move to Cumbria from Northamptonshire, I trained as a Reader with Emmanuel Theological College and was licensed to the Benefice of Workington in November 2023.

Other Churches & Other Faiths Terms

churches together

Other Churches & Other Faiths Sentences

Alongside this role, which is seasonal by its nature, I have provided part-time administrative support to Churches Together in Cumbria since August 2025.

Youth & Next Generation Terms

young people

Youth & Next Generation Sentences

A bit about me: During my career to date I have worked predominantly with children and young people, firstly as a church-based Children and Families Worker, starting in Preston and then in Northampton, and later as a primary school Teaching Assistant, during which time I worked predominantly with neurodivergent children who needed extra support in the classroom. ------ In my current role as Exams Invigilator, I carefully administer examinations and support the young people in my charge, at a time which is often fraught with stress and worry. ------ I spent formative years as a child singing regularly in a church choir in the then Bradford Diocese, and know first-hand what a fantastic missional opportunity church choirs can provide, as well as the experience and education children and young people can access through the Anglican choral tradition.