Mothers' Union

The Mothers' Union Prayer

Loving Lord
We thank you for your love so freely given to us all.
We pray for families around the world.
Bless the work of the Mothers' Union
as we seek to share your love
through the encouragement, strengthening and support of marriage and family life.
Empowered by your Spirit, may we be united in prayer and worship,
and in love and service reach out as your hands across the world.
 

Farewell to Pearl Marwood (2nd left), outgoing Branch Leader of Goole MU, at the Parish Church on 30 March 2010. To her right is the new Branch Leader, Judy Backhouse, and to her left is Sheila South, Branch Secretary. The Vicar always gets in the picture, too!

Mothers' Union members support family life where there is a need within their own communities. They are involved in widely diverse activities, from literacy development worldwide to parenting projects in the UK. The organisation is involved in campaigning and lobbying on worldwide issues, such as parental rights, international debt relief and child poverty.

Mothers' Union is a Christian organisation with more than 3.5 million members in 75 countries. Whilst the lives and experience of members may differ widely, according to where they are, they are, nevertheless, united by their shared belief in the importance of family values. There are strong links with members in other parts of the world and they united in prayer, worship and fellowship - there is midday prayer every day for members in dioceses across the globe.

The Mothers' Union comprises four principal units, led by its elected members:

Action and outreach - Projects at home and abroad;
Finance and central services - managing their financial and administrative affairs;
Marketing - Promoting MU work and supporting members;
Prayer and Spirituality - resourcing and encouraging the spiritual life of the members.

Among the many and various projects run by MU in Sheffield Diocese are:

Away from it all
Providing holidays for those who need a break, and also provide food hampers.

Rainbow scheme
Providing play facilities and care for children during prison visits at Moorland and Lindholme prisons.

Women's Refuge support
Providing toiletries, food and household items for the women's refuges in Sheffield, Rotherham, Barnsley and Doncaster.

Knitting support
Includes the making and supplying of knitted garments for premature babies in hospitals, fingerless gloves and balaclavas for the Seafarers' Mission in Goole, and jumpers and blankets for Africa.

Virtual Babies Loan Scheme
Giving parental experiences to teenagers.

Other support
Including support for people in the Diocese suffering from HIV/AIDS.

Parenting groups
Sharing parenting experiences. Branches throughout the Diocese provide schemes which reflect the individual needs of their communities.

Other projects include:
 

Mothers' Union projects worldwide Family Life programme Literacy and development project Parenting programmes Farming projects Work generating projects Health education Bride School (Northern India) Relief work Many of these projects take place in the 78 countries throughout the world where there is a Mothers' Union

Mothers' Union projects in UK Away from it all holidays Prison crèches Prison visiting and services Parenting programmes Drop-in centres Virtual Babies Supporting women's refuges Neo natal bonnets and premature baby clothes Story bags Toy lending service Supporting HIV/AIDS Centres Child Contact centres Granny Wagon (hot drinks served to young people on the streets) Reading Help in Primary Schools

Goole Branch

Goole branch currently comprises 37 full members (including 100-year-old Evelyn Warrilow) and two 'Friends'. The branch actively supports two local organisations - The Hinge and Homestart - and has active links with branches both inside and outside the Deanery.

Visit the Mothers' Union web site.

Judy Backhouse,  Leader of the Goole Branch of the Mothers' Union.