Last night, during Choral Evensong at Wells Cathedral prebendaries: Edward Baynton-Coward, Caroline Mason, Tracey Staples and Alison Vercoe were installed as members of the College of Canons. Prebendaries are appointed in recognition of their work in the diocese and play a valuable role in maintaining the Cathedral’s close links with the parishes of the diocese. The Very Reverend Toby Wright, Dean of Wells, says, "We are delighted about the admission of the four prebendaries to the College of Canons at Wells Cathedral. They are a wonderful mixture of different people with very different responsibilities and ministries and really speaks about diversity within the life of the diocese and how we can represent that. Each of our new prebendaries brings their own skills to the life of the cathedral, and will take the cathedral out to their communities as well, so that we're deeply rooted across the whole of the diocese."
We pray for God’s blessing on each of them in their ministry.
Alison Vercoe
In 1999 Alison was appointed and commissioned to a new authorised lay ministry role for children and young people in the Tone Deanery. In this role Alison built relationships with local schools and churches. She completed a BA in Youth and Community Work with Applied Theology, whilst continuing to work in the deanery and as a lay chaplain in a young people’s mental health unit.
Alison felt a calling to chaplaincy in education and began working across a group of schools as a parent family support advisor. At the start of 2017 she moved to Pyrland School, initially working as Head of Year, then appointed as School Chaplain in 2020. Alison continues as School Chaplain at Pyrland alongside her role as Senior Mental Health Lead.
Alison is also a lay worship assistant at St Andrew’s Wiveliscombe.
Caroline Mason
Caroline’s faith journey started at a defining moment aged 12, after which she was supported by great youth leaders. She trained as a doctor, met Paul in her second year and subsequently married. They have been blessed with three wonderful children, two great son-in-law’s and three precious grandsons who they enjoy spending time with. Her professional life as a GP was largely spent working in a socially deprived area of Bristol. She was licensed as a Reader in 2016 and worships in Nailsea. After retirement, Caroline completed a pioneer ministry course and had the time and opportunity to get involved in diocesan life including being Lay Chair which she says she is grateful for.
Edward Bayntun-Coward
Edward was born at Dunkerton, on the road between Bath and Wells, in a snowstorm and was delivered by two firemen. His respect for uniforms culminated in his installation as High Sheriff of Somerset in 2016. The following year he was appointed as a Deputy Lieutenant. He is a fourth generation antiquarian bookdealer, and has been Chair of six museums, including No.1 Royal Crescent and the Holburne in Bath and Keats’s House on the Spanish Steps in Rome. He has been a trustee of various charities, including Focus Counselling, which now has a base in Wells, Wells Cathedral Preservation Trust and the Paper Foundation. He has just celebrated 30 years of marriage with Laura. They have three children, who regularly join them on their travels around the world.
Tracey Staples
Tracey’s father, Terry, was ordained in Wells Cathedral but sadly died in 2011. She lives with her mother, Brenda, and is blessed with two brothers, one sister, three nieces and one nephew.
After previous careers of being first a ballet then a primary school teacher, she is now a full-time church administrator for 18 parishes and is also Exmoor Deanery Secretary. Wells Cathedral and Silverstone are her two favourite places. She loves the peace of one, the noise of the other and the history of both! She is a huge Formula 1 fan and impressed by how they are on course to reach Net Zero Carbon by 2030.