General Synod Election Candidates 2026

About me:

My name is Ash and I am 21 years old.

I have been a Christian since I was very young and was a member of an independent church in
the village I grew up in, having previously been christened in and first was part of a Methodist
church. When I moved to Hull in 2023, I found a home in a Church of England parish – St Peter’s
in Anlaby. I love worshipping at my church each Sunday and attending a variety of other
churches when the opportunity arises!

I am from a small village near St Albans and grew up with my parents and a disabled brother
who has severe autism, and I now live with my husband in West Hull, and we have fallen in love
with Yorkshire. I have lived in Hull since 2023 for my studies, except for the time I was working
in London from September 2025 until June 2026.

I have also worked a variety of other jobs, including working as a carer for children with
disabilities, as well as most recently with a lady with generalized dystonia. This also included
looking after her two young neurodiverse children.

I am currently a student at the University of Hull. I am going into my fourth and final year
studying British Politics and Legislative Studies. My degree included a year working for a
Member of Parliament in Westminster, assisting with a variety of duties and learning how
Parliament works.

During my time at university, I have served as the Vice President of Hull Christian Union from
July 2024 until June 2025. I loved working with my fellow students and young people to come to
know the love of Jesus.

The Church of England has been a blessing in my life, with it showing the love of Christ in its
services and community events. I have felt so welcomed by the people I have met. I have been
blessed to serve as a leader of children’s church at St Peter’s. My husband and I both enjoy
travelling and attending services at different churches in the Church of England all over the
country.

In my free time, I love to read and craft. I particularly enjoy cross-stitch and I am currently
teaching myself to knit.
Aisling (Ash) Griffin
Email address: [email protected]
Feel free to get in touch with me!
Proposer: Mrs Christine Pollard
Member of Guisborough Deanery Synod
Seconder: Mrs Ann Simpson
Member of Selby Deanery Synod

My priorities:
My first priority, if elected to Synod, is to put loving Jesus Christ, the Gospel of sacrificial love and
grace and loving our neighbour at the centre of discussions.

As Christ first loved us, Synod should reflect Jesus’ character in considering what is faithful to
God and loving before making any decisions. This should take place as we discuss and debate
before votes and decisions. If the next Synod wants to make impactful and positive progress,
the love of Christ must be at the heart of everything.
Secondly, I especially want to ensure that all churches are accessible to people with physical
disabilities and neurodivergent individuals. This accessibility is not just physical – but it would allow
people, no matter what, to feel as though they can worship and praise God in a way that works best for
them.

Continuing from the motion recently passed that affirms neurodiversity in the life of the
church, Synod can prioritise finding ways in which this can happen in practice.

For neurodiverse children, having a new way to worship could open their eyes to the love of
Jesus in a new light.

Having worked as a parliamentary intern, I understand the importance of being an advocate for
vulnerable individuals. I want to bring my experience of this to Synod.
As a young adult within the Church of England, I feel strongly that the national church and dioceses
need to support small churches in growth by reaching out to younger people and students, without
losing sight that the Gospel is meant for all people.

However, on Synod, I want to ensure that churches that flourish as smaller congregations do
not feel pressured to rapidly grow. I love being a member of a church that feels like a close
family. While growth targets benefit many, they should not be pushed onto absolutely all
churches. Evangelism strategies endorsed by General Synod must be adaptable to local
contexts.
Finally, parish funding is a topic that is close to me personally. My church’s roof is currently on its last
legs, and many members of the church are worried about how much it will cost to repair. I know that
there are so many other churches in similar situations.

We are absolutely not the only church in the diocese that needs money for building
maintenance and there are many other churches that need funding for other purposes, such as
hiring lay workers. This is especially important for expanding parish youth work. On Synod, I
would tirelessly advocate to elevate parish financial needs to help maintain parish churches
that form the backbone of the Church of England.

I want to ensure that churches that aren’t listed have accessible avenues for funding to protect
the churches that have congregations attending each week to come and worship Jesus.
I would be really grateful for your support in the upcoming General Synod election. Please consider
giving me your first-place preference.

dioceses,evangelism,gospel,methodist,neurodiversity,young people,youth,youth work