General Synod Election Candidates 2026

I care deeply about parish ministry, looking after our
clergy's wellbeing, and serving Jesus by building an
inclusive Church, where everybody is welcomed as one of
God’s children. I would welcome your first prefence vote.
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Revd Helen Drever
Candidate for General Synod - House of Clergy
What is imporant to me?
Parish Ministry
These are challenging times for the Church of England as we make important choices about our future. In
many places, and especially in rural areas, patterns of ministry are simply not sustainable either financially or
personally for those in ministry, nor for the faithful, hardworking lay people who support us. Yet I believe parish
ministry must remain at the heart of our church and our nation. We do need to reimagine parish ministry for
the future, but we must not lose it. As your General Synod representative I will do my very best to protect this
jewel in the Church of England crown.
Clergy Wellbeing
The wellbeing of clergy must be a priority for General Synod if we are to sustain flourishing parishes into the
future. Many of us face heavy workloads, isolation and the risk of burnout due to a lack of adequate support. If
elected I will champion practical structural reforms including realistic expectations for ministry, improved
mental health resources and good pastoral care. Caring for our clergy and church leaders is not optional; it is
essential for the spiritual health and mission of the whole church.
Inclusivity
I am standing for General Synod because I believe the Church of England must reflect the diverse, inclusive
love of God. Too often, people feel unseen or unwelcome in our structures. I make no apology for saying I am
fiercely committed to full equality at every level of our church. Whether regarding disability, neurodiversity,
mental health, ethnicity, gender identity, sexuality, sex, or economic background—every single person is made in
the image of God and deserves an equal voice and place in leadership. I am a member of Women and the
Church (WATCH) and a supporter of The 93% Club, a UK social mobility charity working to combat class
inequality. As a member of General Synod, I promise to listen well, speak up for the marginalised, and help
build a church where everyone can flourish.
Environment
The vote against the 30by30 motion at the July 2026 General Synod is a deep disappointment to me. I have
seen first hand the tremendous growth in biodiversity on land that has been rewilded. I’d hoped that we were
going to offer a model of courageous leadership. In my work with schools I know how concerned young people
are about the environment and I cannot help but feel we have let them down. We can do better and look to the
good example set by The Crown Estate. However I welcome the publication of the House of Bishop’s teaching
document Hope For All Creation and the inclusion of the Feast of Creation in the liturgical year. As a member
of General Synod I would commit to making environmental issues a priority. All things exist by the gift and
grace of God alone, as members of the community of creation we are called to care for all our brothers and
sisters, and the entire more than human world.
Nominated by Revd Tobie Osmond - Priest in charge,
Holy Trinity & Durleigh St Hugh, Bridgwater
Seconded by Revd Preb. Liz Dudley - Vicar of the
Benefice of Christ Church & St. Marys, Frome

For the past six years, I have served as the Vicar of
the Alham Vale Benefice near Shepton Mallet, living
out the many challenges, joys and blessings of rural
multi-parish ministry day by day. However, like
so many of us, I've had quite a journey...
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Get to know Helen
I was raised in a small rural Lincolnshire market town, where my
state school’s Christian ethos and the local parish church deeply
shaped my early values and personal faith journey. In 1995, after
working in the South East for a number of years, I relocated to
Somerset to work on the management team of a charity
overseeing an organic garden and retreat house. During this time,
I also volunteered at a local drug and alcohol drop-in centre;
while away on a training course I met a group of christians
whose loving dedication to the broken and vulnerable revitalised
my faith in Christ.
After moving to Devon in 2003, I became an active member of
the Exeter Cathedral community, serving on several committees
and coordinating a Sunday hospitality team. This involvement
led to invitations to join pioneering ministries, including Bishop
Mark Rylands’ Night Church Project and the core team of
Canon Anna Norman-Walker’s Holy Ground initiative. The
latter's creative exploration of Christian spirituality chimed with
my undergraduate background in Fine Art. Inspired by these
experiences, I began an MA in Christian Spirituality at Sarum
College, while simultaneously entering the discernment process
for ordained ministry and supporting a parish outreach program
for the local homeless population.
In 2014, I left my role with Devon County Council’s Strategic
Intelligence Unit to enter full-time theological training at Ripon
College, Cuddesdon. A formative part of my training included a
placement with the Parish of the Divine Compassion in East
London, working alongside Franciscan brothers and sisters in
their care for the poor. I subsequently served my curacy within
the Crediton Mission Community, a large, multi-parish rural
benefice in Exeter Diocese. Guided by a strong calling to return
to the Diocese of Bath and Wells, in 2020 I accepted my current
role and for the past six years, have served as the Vicar of the
Alham Vale Benefice near Shepton Mallet, living out the many
challenges, joys, and blessings of rural multi-parish ministry day
by day.
Beyond my parochial duties, my interests include organic
gardening, the environment, cooking for friends with local
produce, fine art, and reading. My faith and ministry remain
deeply anchored in Franciscan spirituality; I regularly attend
retreats at Hilfield Friary and am currently in the first year of my
novitiate with the Third Order of St Francis, with the intention
of being professed in 2028.
Approach to General Synod
As we look to the future of the
Church of England, it is easy to
become consumed by the complex
structures, debates, and legislative
challenges that face the General
Synod. These governance tasks are
important and necessary, but they
are not the source of our common
life which is Jesus Christ our Lord.
As your representative I promise to
listen with humility to those across
the different traditions of our
Church, to advocate for the local
church and its proper funding, to
prioritise clergy wellbeing, to
champion God’s good creation
and to keep the all embracing love
of Jesus Christ at the centre of all
our debates and governance.
I would be honoured to receive
your first-preference vote to
represent our diocese and to work
toward a Church that is deeply
rooted in prayer, spiritually alive,
and courageously focused on
mission as we step forward into the
future. If you're unable to give me
your first preference vote, I would
deeply appreciate your next
highest preference vote.
If you would welcome a
discussion about anything in
my election address, or the
issues facing the Church of
England, please don't
hesitate to contact me using
the details below.
Revd Helen Drever
07949 181745
[email protected]

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