Vacancy in see: diocesan representatives on Crown Nominations Commission

At its most recent meeting, the Vacancy in See Committee nominated six of its number to represent it on the Crown Nominations Commission.

These individuals will be fully involved in the forthcoming stages in the recruitment of the next Bishop of Truro. They will join both archbishops, the Archbishops’ and Prime Minister’s Secretaries for Appointments, and the standing members of the commission elected by General Synod.

The Reverend Canon Alan Bashforth

A former police officer and a nurse, Alan was installed in his role as Canon Chancellor of Truro Cathedral in October 2014 and holds responsibility for matters of education theology and the arts. Prior to joining the cathedral team, Alan served as parish priest for St Agnes and Mount Hawke for 13 years.

In his role as Canon Chancellor, Alan works to develop the cathedral as a place of thinking, conversation, dialogue and learning.

Beyond Parish life, Alan co-founded and helped to facilitate the Diocesan Youth Synod from 2001-2004; he was elected Rural Dean of Powder (the Truro Deanery) in 2004, undertaking this role for almost ten years; he became a member of the Bishop’s Executive and in 2005 became a member of the General Synod.

The Venerable Audrey Elkington

Archdeacon Audrey came to Cornwall from the Diocese of Newcastle in 2011. The significant move was prompted by the opportunity to serve as Archdeacon and take a lead in discipleship in the Diocese.

Bridget has lived in Cornwall nearly all her life and has always been very involved with the church at parish, deanery and diocesan levels.  She set up and then for many years ran a small retreat house, offering much-needed space and silence for Christians of all denominations and none, who not only came from Cornwall, but from all over the world.

For 16 years, Bridget was one of two lay Chapter Canons of Truro Cathedral, a privilege which was both hard work and immensely rewarding.  Bridget is an Examining Chaplain for the Bishop of Truro and a Bishop’s Pastoral Advisor for the Ministry Division of the Archbishops’ Council.

Living only a few yards from the sea, Bridget loves swimming and fishing as well as walking the cliffs and moors, and she helps run a twice-yearly classical chamber music seminar.  Bridget has 13 grandchildren, who she says are a constant source of joy and surprise, and keep her very busy.

Robert Perry

Although Robert was born in Winchester, he has lived in Cornwall since the age of nine, apart from the time he was at university and in his first job.

When his parents moved the family to Cornwall, they lived in St Ives and attended Carbis Bay parish church.

When he moved back to Cornwall to take up an appointment in Cornwall County Council’s property department, he moved to Truro and has lived there ever since.

Robert and his wife worship at the cathedral and at Kenwyn, and they both hold various appointments in both churches.

Robert has been a member of the diocesan and Powder Deanery synods since 2012, and sits on both the Bishop’s Diocesan Council and the Diocesan Executive.   He has been a church bellringer since 1967, and his other main interests lie in railways.

He said: “I doubt I shall live long enough to see the main line electrified through Cornwall, but in this, and in all respects, I live in hope!”

Dr Mike Todd

Mike graduated from Keele University in maths and physics, and completed a PhD in the Civil Engineering Department at Loughborough before spending two decades working in industrial research, shipbuilding on Tyneside, and computer manufacture in Buckinghamshire.

In 1991, he and his wife established Trevanion House, providing holidays for people with learning disabilities.

In 2010, Mike was also awarded a PhD for research into the theology of marriage.

While living on Tyneside with his wife and two children, Mike helped establish a branch of the Abbeyfield Society. He also served as a local councillor on North Tyneside.

In the 1980s he was chair of the Milton Keynes Christian Council, and a founding trustee of Milton Keynes Community Trust and chaired a project to provide accommodation for homeless young people.

Mike moved to Cornwall in 1991, and became involved in parish, deanery and diocesan life, from being a churchwarden and deanery treasurer, to chair of the Diocesan Executive, through Diocesan Lay Chair and vice-chair of the diocesan board of finance.  He was elected to General Synod in 2015.

An interest in canals started with his honeymoon on a canal boat in 1967, and he bought his own narrowboat 10 years ago.

Revd Andrew Yates

Andrew has served in the Diocese of Truro for 14 years, currently as Priest-in-charge of Paul and across the parishes of the Penlee Cluster in Penwith.  Andrew said: “Here we are passionate about Doing Church Differently to make links with the ‘missing generations’.”

Previously Andrew worked in the benefice of Tresillian and St Michael Penkivel just outside Truro. Both of these parochial appointments have been dual-role ministries alongside the post of Diocesan Social Responsibility Officer – supporting churches’ involvement with their local communities. As a result, he is in touch with much of the excellent work being done by churches through food banks, meals for the homeless, Street Pastors and other social action projects.

Prior to coming to Cornwall Andrew ministered in inner-city Sheffield, rural Suffolk, in a former pit village in the East Kent coal field and in Dudley, where he also acted as industrial chaplain to a large retail centre. One of the highlights of this role was co-ordinating local churches leading worship on Sunday afternoons in the crowded shopping mall – which he believes was the “nearest I have come to being thrown to the lions!”

He said: “I keep sane through playing chess, as a member of the Clergy Chess Correspondence Club, and physically active by being taken for walks on beaches and cliff paths by our cocker spaniel, Tean.”