Life in Lemon Hall
When Polly Falconer talks about her childhood in Jamaica, she does so with warmth and laughter. Born in the tiny village of Lemon Hall (embroidered on Polly's special stole, above), she remembers a life that was deeply rooted in family and shaped by community.
“My aunt still calls it ‘the village behind God’s back’, because it’s so remote,” she says. “Even to this day, we go back to basics; bathe in the river, cook outside on a fire.”
Polly came to the UK as part of the Windrush generation, after her parents had settled here ahead of her. Raised first by her grandparents, she arrived in time to begin school.
“It was challenging. I had a really strong accent and I was different.”
Life in Britain was not always welcoming, including within churches.
“In the Caribbean everybody goes to Sunday school,” she says. “Church was a huge part of life. But when we came over, we weren’t welcome in the majority of churches we went to. As a child, that was difficult.”
Eventually her family found churches where they could belong, and Polly grew up surrounded by faith, worship and a strong sense of God’s presence. Experiencing a variety of churches has shaped Polly’s attitude to faith.
“I also learned that God wasn't different, the way that people celebrated God was different. I loved the breadth of serving God, all the different traditions, the different ways of doing things, and you bring that with you.”
A
sense of worth
Like many teenagers, Polly drifted away from church for a time.
“I walked away for a bit,” she says. “Then I had my children and wanted them christened. I found a church where I was accepted as I was.”
What followed was a long journey into ministry and leadership, marked by encouragement, challenge and perseverance - though not without hesitation. Polly remembers wrestling with questions of worthiness and belonging.
“This whole sense of worthiness is a big thing,” she says. “I didn’t really think at that point that I was good enough.”
One moment in particular stayed with her. After receiving communion, Polly sat crying in the Lady Chapel while a priest gently suggested God might be calling her.
“I remember thinking, ‘Don’t be stupid – have you seen how short my skirt is?’” she laughs.
“There were challenges, unconscious bias, and moments where people basically said, ‘You’re Anglican now, you can’t do that.’ But I was called as I am. That's who I am, that's what I bring with me.”
Challenge in love
Polly describes herself as someone who will “slap you and hug you at the same time” – deeply loving but prepared to challenge injustice and exclusion.
“I will challenge you from a place of love, but I will challenge you. I don’t really do deference.”
That conviction now shapes her work as diocesan Diversity Advisor, a role she approaches with honesty and realism.
As Diversity Advisor, Polly works with churches, clergy and diocesan teams across the diocese to help create environments where people from all backgrounds can belong, participate and flourish. Her role includes supporting churches with questions around accessibility, inclusion, culture and good practice, while encouraging practical steps that help remove barriers to participation.
For Polly, inclusion is about more than policies or checklists. It is about asking practical questions that help people genuinely belong.
“If you’re running an event or training session, have you thought about who might struggle to access this?” she asks. “I'm very much a person that meets people where they are and then walks with them on that journey.”
Her perspective is also shaped by personal experience. When Polly was 35, she survived a serious aneurysm after being told she might not live, spending a year in hospital recovering. That experience deepened both her faith and her sense of purpose.
“I think there are moments in our lives where we suddenly realise that actually God has a plan that we didn't realise was there,” Polly explains. “Not being afraid of dying was probably the biggest God moment in my life. And that drives me, because I think if you're not afraid you can achieve so much.”
God's love is for everybody
Today, Polly’s faith remains rooted in the values she first learned as a child: family, hospitality, resilience and joy.
“We bring our pathways with us,” she says.
And through every stage of life – from rural Jamaica to leadership within the Church – she remains convinced of one thing above all.
“God’s love is for everybody.”
The questions Polly asks in her role as Diversity Advisor are often the same ones that have shaped her own journey of faith: how do we help people feel welcomed, valued and able to belong?
You can find resources, guidance and more information about Polly's work on the Diocese of Oxford website.