General Synod Election Candidates 2026

REVD CANON NEIL-
ALLAN WALSH
Parish Priest of St Margaret with
St Columba Leytonstone
[email protected]
02085190813
Proposed by Revd Elizabeth
Blackham
Seconded by Revd Canon Martyn
John Hawkes.
Working together for a Church of England that’s inclusive and diverse.
My story
I grew up in Cape Town South Africa, moved to England in the late 1990s to
teach in the East End of London, the Barking Episcopal area, as a primary
school teacher and later moved onto ordination within the same diocese. I
have served within the Barking Episcopal area both as lay and ordained for
the last 30 years and have good knowledge of the church locally. I am an
avid Camino walker and have walked 7 pilgrimages over the last few years.
For the past 15 years I have served the parish of St Margaret’s Leytonstone,
a diverse and inclusive community in the heart of East London. I know the
challenges that many parishes like mine face, for example the upkeep and
management of buildings, financial challenges and serving a transient
community. Although a growing community, we are a vibrant multi cultural
forward thinking parish with a strong sense for social justice and inclusion
where all are encouraged to live out their Cristian faith. I therefore believe in
the strength and structure of our parish system and will work to defend the
parish system.
For the last 11 years I have coordinated along side a group of volunteers a
food share project which serves over 100 families weekly who experience
food poverty in our community. This has given us an insight some of the
social injustice within our community and an opportunity for the church to be
a voice of the voiceless and if elected I will be an advocate for those on the
margins.

One of challenges our church faces is the under representation of black and
ethnic Anglicans within the life and structure of the church. As a person who
believes in the inclusion of all God’s children within the life of the church, I
have a passion to see the love of God reflected in our church and society.
I am committed to equality for everyone at all levels and roles within the
church, regardless of disability, economic power, ethnicity, sex, gender
identity, learning disability, mental health, neurodiversity or sexuality.
Why I am standing for General Synod:
• I believe in a church where young and old are able to live out their faith and
serve God freely.
• I support an inclusive church where all God’s children are welcome.
• I would work towards creating a church which is generous, in welcome and
prophetic on issues of climate change and the environment
What can I offer
• My commitment to honesty and openness, accountability and transparency
at levels.
• My willingness to challenge and to ask questions
• A desire to support clergy wellbeing
• A commitment to listen and pray for our church
• The ability to work with people with different church tradition
Thank you for reading my electoral statement. I hope you will give me your
first preference vote.
If you want to contact me about anything, I would be very happy to hear
from you.
Neil

accountability,clergy wellbeing,climate change,disability,environment,equality,gender identity,inclusive,inclusive church,injustice,justice,mental health,neurodiversity,ordination,poverty,sexuality,social justice,tradition,transparency