Diocese of Winchester » Fund Raising

Welcome to Winchester Cathedral for our Festival Service

Administrator — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 21:19:48 +0000

You are invited to join Mothers’ Union supporters from across our region at our annual Festival Service at

Winchester Cathedral

Wednesday 16th June 2010 at 11.00am

Presiding at our Festival Eucharist is

Right Revd Michael Scott-Joynt

Bishop of Winchester

The preacher will be

Debbie Thrower

local television presenter and
Reader in the Diocese of Winchester

The collection will be in aid of the Mothers’ Union
‘Away From It All’ Family Holiday Project
(giving holidays to those in need)
and the
Mothers’ Union Relief Fund
(helping communities support themselves during following disasters)

Wheels appeal – cakes for breaks

Administrator — Mon, 03 May 2010 21:31:38 +0000

Well the sun has finally come out, even if we’re still a little chill and so we’re looking ahead to summer, when Mothers’ Union are running their Wheels Appeal – raising vital transport funds for Mothers’ Union aid and development work around the world (like the Family Life Programme, and our Literacy and Development Programme).

We’re encouraging supporters to bake and sell cakes for brakes – flans for vans – biscuits for toolkits….anything you like really!

To join in the fun, contact Mary Sumner House for posters for your cake stall or strawberry tea (or any other yummy event!), and they also have fliers to get your whole branch, youth group, class or office involved and excited! Once you’ve got something arranged – tell us what it is, and we’ll tell the world!

Downloadable A5 colour poster: WheelsAppeal2010_A5flyer

Make a Mother’s Day

Administrator — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 21:51:21 +0000

Mothering Sunday 2010 is on Sunday 14th March, and once again Mothers’ Union are running their ethical gift campaign to enable people to remember the much loved Mothers and raise funds for much needed project work across the world. If you are reading this before Tuesday 9th March 2010, and haven’t yet taken part, you still have time to do so!

Mothers’ Union – like any charity – has seen income levels drop alarmingly as investments take a tumble. Yet working at the grassroots, actually serving communities where we live – in 78 countries of the world – means that we see at first hand when people need help. We know that if you could see what our members see – in some of the most already impoverished communities of the world – you would not be able to walk by on the other side.

Mothers’ Union’s Make a Mother’s Day campaign each year offers ethical gifts which help family carers through some of life’s most challenging difficulties. Each gift reaches out to a mum, granny, or care-giver to help them give care, protection, nurture and a more positive and hopeful future to children.

This year the challenge is on to meet greater needs amid the recession. There are a total of fourteen ethical gifts to choose from for 2010, ranging from £7 – £168, each one bound to delight either your mother, or you as you choose a gift in your mum’s memory. Duck and chicks, seeds and goats tap into the sense of rebirth that spring brings. But there are gifts too for the strategist supporting environmental stability or leadership training for the Global South.

Our Diocesan Newsletter “Archway” is due out soon, which includes an article about the Commercialisation of Childhood on page 4 – if that is something that you are concerned about the gift “Childhood is going bust” for £40 – is perfectly priced with a perfect message – “Help us ban bras for seven-year olds. We believe the sexualisation of pre-teen girls is wrong. End of story.”

Catalogues are available from your local Mothers’ Union’s members, or perhaps you might like to purchase online from www.makeamothersday.org

Remember – Mothers’ Union ethical gifts for other occasions are available from www.theglobalvillagefair.org

Welcome to our part in the Wave of Prayer

Administrator — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 21:35:05 +0000

Mothers’ Union members around the globe have started to pray for members and projects organised by Mothers’ Union in the Diocese of Winchester, and the family of diocese to whom it is linked in our annual cycle of prayer. Winchester, Kitgum and Muhabura (both in Uganda), Masasi (in Tanzania) and Kajo-Keji (in Sudan) will remain the focus of Mothers’ Union prayers until 25th January.

If you are reading this web-page because you are interested to learn more about these diocese, you are particularly welcome. Once you’ve read the links available, please click on the word ‘comment’ and tell us if you found them helpful, interesting, and also where you are from! We’d love to hear from you.

Information about project work (including our Family Holiday scheme), events and activities among Mothers’ Union members in the Diocese of Winchester can be viewed by clicking the other link pages and ‘tags’ on the top and left of your screen.

During the last few days we have posted information about three of the Diocese to whom Winchester is linked. Each can be found by scrolling down the postings on this ‘home-page’ or by clicking the ‘tag’ links. There is further background information on each via the ‘International’ heading at the top of your screen.

Muhabura, situated in Southern Uganda, is the last to be featured. In 2009 we became aware that, despite the drought conditions the region was experiencing, Mothers’ Union members were helping many refugees displaced from the Democratic Republic of Congo. This was supported by two donations from the Mothers’ Union Relief Fund, which operates to help members in the relief work they undertake in their local communities. Information from Mothers’ Union head office suggests that Muhabura members continue to care for refugees from D R Congo.

Whether you are a Mothers’ Union member, or just interested in who we are and what we do, may God bless you as you journey through life with him.

Bringing Peace and Literacy to Kajo-Keji

Administrator — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 16:57:47 +0000

Last week, Mothers’ Union backed calls from Churches in Sudan for peace and a respect for human rights to be upheld as the country prepares for national elections in April 2010 and crucial referendum in January 2011 on unity or independence for Southern Sudan.

Mothers’ Union has families of Diocese stretching across the world who pray for each other regularly, and who collectively form a ‘Wave of Prayer’. One of Winchester’s permanent links is with Kajo-Keji in Southern Sudan, and from tomorrow (January 21st) they and their partner diocese of Kitgum and Muhabura (in Uganda) and Masasi (in Tanzania) will be at the centre of all Mothers’ Union prayers around the world.

As one of the key agencies from the Church involved in bringing humanitarian and development assistance to the people of Sudan, Mothers’ Union has spoken out to lend support to Archbishop Daniel Deng Bul, from the Episcopal Church of the Sudan, calling for urgent international support for efforts to maintain the fragile Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA). The CPA was signed in 2005 ending a long and devastating civil war, but violence is now on the increase across the region.

[Full details of the situation and issues surrounding it can be found among recent Chatham House papers, and recent speeches by Archbishop Rowan Williams, and Archbishop Daniel Deng Bul can be downloaded from the Archbishops website.]

A Mothers' Union literacy group in Southern Sudan

Mothers’ Union has a membership of 15,000 women in Sudan, and runs an extensive Literacy & Development programme (MULDP) in the country, working closely with the Episcopal Church of the Sudan. The CPA has enabled Mothers’ Union Sudan’s Literacy Trainers to extend the programme to communities in Southern Sudan who were previously isolated through conflict. This progress is at risk should the fragile peace not be protected.

Naomi Herbert, Senior Programme Officer for Mothers’ Union said “Before the CPA our development programme couldn’t reach out of the controlled area of Juba and the areas in the North. Since the CPA our volunteers have brought the programme into isolated and previously inaccessible interior regions. Communities are now engaging in new businesses, roads enable markets to be accessible, more food is available, and people have better access to healthcare and natal facilities. All efforts need to be made by governments and agencies to facilitate open dialogue between north and south on key issues of wealth sharing, so that the people of the South are not plunged in to a conflict over resources at a time when peace is making such a difference to the lives of ordinary women, men and children across Sudan.”

However, there are other issues that specifically affect Kajo-Keji. The Diocese of Kajo-Keji has not yet been able to introduce and implement the MULDP. Funding provided by Mothers’ Union for the programme (which also operates in Burundi and Malawi ) used to be matched by funding from Comic Relief for the project, but that source is now exhausted. The challenge is therefore to find funding for the Mothers’ Union’s Literacy and Development Programme that will allow it to continue in the areas it has already reached, and specifically to expand into regions like Kajo-Keji where it would prove equally effective.

Would you walk 15 miles to your health centre?

Administrator — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 22:08:26 +0000

MASASI HEALTH CENTRE PROJECT – TANZANIA

Sick people in Masasi currently have to travel 25 km (15 miles) to the nearest health centre and 16 km to the nearest dispensary just to buy drugs for pain or for prophylaxis treatment for malaria, which is among the top ten diseases in Tanzania. In addition to this, there is inadequate supply of clean water in the region, high rates of malnutrition of under-fives and adult illiteracy.

Masasi is our link Diocese in the South of Tanzania, a region regularly affected by severe drought and consequent food shortages and one of the poorest parts of Tanzania. At this time when our permanent international links are at the centre of prayers for the whole of Mothers’ Union around the world (from 21st – 25th January) it is great to be learning news of new projects in these places.

Because of its respected reputation in development work, members of the local community in Masasi approached Mothers’ Union to share their concerns about this situation. To assess local needs, Mothers’ Union carried out an assessment in each of the eight areas (archdeaconries) using focus group discussions and other techniques. The views of village government leaders, religious leaders from a variety of denominations, school teachers and students, and representatives from the different villages were also collected.

The assessment found that delays in treatment and a lack of medicine for malaria and other transmitted diseases is causing a rise in maternal and child mortality. The inadequacy of current healthcare is leading many people to consult traditional healers.

The research helped identify that the most effective solution to the current situation is an essential drugs pharmacy easily accessible to people in the local area is vital. The establishment of the pharmacy will enable minor health problems to be treated locally and in a timely fashion. The pharmacy will provide preventative and curative treatments, treating minor illnesses and referring more complicated cases to other organisations for further treatment or consultation.

A suitable building has already been identified to house the pharmacy. It will be staffed by two medical professionals who have been fully trained in running essential drugs pharmacy services. Their previous experience includes running a pharmacy in the private sector and working for 30 years as a fully trained nurse in a government hospital. It is estimated that more than 10,000 people a year will directly benefit from the project whilst the entire community will benefit as the project focuses on service delivery and health care for all.

Mothers’ Union in Masasi expects the project to cost approx £9000k per year for the first three years, after which it is hoped that it will become self-sustaining through its profits. At present Mothers’ Union leaders in Masasi think they can raise £1,200/year of this cost, but the rest of the money needs to raised for and provided through the Mothers’ Union Overseas Fund.

It may be that your group, and you as an individual, might be interested in raising awareness of this project as an example of how the Mothers’ Union operates internationally. By doing so you can raise money for our Overseas Fund. If you want information or a speaker to help you do this, please contact us using the links along the top of this website.

Prayers and Present Shopping?!

Administrator — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 22:26:58 +0000

Prayer is a priority for Mothers’ Union members, and following this link will enable you to engage with Advent and Christmas Themes as well as the work of Mothers’ Union this month. MU_Midday_Prayers_Dec_2009

But we all know that a bit of Christmas Shopping is also required this month so how about this tip to raise money for Mothers’ Union at the same time. If you make your purchases online it might be worth trying this link:

A large number of major retailers including Mothercare, M&S, Thorntons, Waterstones and HMV will donate between 5% and 12% to Mothers’ Union when you make a purchase online. Start shopping at: www.buy.at/mothersunion

The harvest has failed

Administrator — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 19:47:46 +0000

Mothers’ Union members in the Diocese of Winchester are linked with fellow members in specific regions of Uganda, Sudan and Tanzania. All these regions are now affected by devasting famine conditions across East Africa.

Crops have failed for the third time in 12 months, livestock are dead or dying and families are spending all their time foraging for whatever food they can find. People in the hardest hit areas are eating leaves and roots in the forest to survive.

Mothers’ Union members can distribute support to those who need it most, because they live in and understand the specific needs of their communities. They have identified at least 300,000 families who need our support to stay alive.

There is lots of information available by following the links here to help you raise the profile of this crisis that isn’t being talked about by the governments of the affected countries. Mothers’ Union is one of the few agencies promoting the plight of the region. Please use the downloads and links to highlight the crisis, and raise funds in your community and church.

Click the highlighted text to download your East Africa Famine Crisis – Situation Summary

The poster pictured here is available from our head office in London, but can also be downloaded as a full colour A3 poster by clicking this link: Harvest Has Failed – A3 Poster

There is more information on the central Mothers’ Union website including the facility to donate online here: East Africa Appeal

Ethical Giving – All Year Round

Administrator — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 18:55:37 +0000

Mothers’ Union has just launched its new all year round ethical giving catalogue: Global Village Fair

Using the website Global Village Fair (click on the link) or leaflet you can choose from a range of ethical gifts for any occasion. Whether in memory of somebody, as a birthday present or for a wedding gift, your purchase will be helping families around the world in tough circumstances by supporting the work of Mothers’ Union.

Gifts available include:

the gift of training in bee-keeping and mushroom-growing – £7.50
knowledge and training in our Family Life Programme which we run across much of Uganda – £38.00
vocational training in setting up tailoring and sewing businesses, to women and girls in countries where there’s hardly any secondary school education – £100

Local Mothers’ Union group leaders should have received a supply of the brightly coloured leaflets in a recent mailing from the head office of Mothers’ Union (Mary Sumner House), but if you don’t want to use the website, or want further supplies of the leaflet contact them on 020 7222 5533.

Make A Mothers Day, our ethical gift catalogue specifically for Mothering Sunday, will be back just after Christmas with it’s own website and new leaflet for 2010.