Diocese of Winchester » Fund Raising

A gift that gives, twice over! Make a Mother’s Day

Administrator — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 17:46:47 +0000

Mothers’ Union is working through a grassroots membership of 4 million people to support families and communities around the world.

This Mothering Sunday, as you remember your mother, we are asking you to do something a little different. Instead of flowers or a box of chocolates why not buy her an ethical gift that will support another mother? A gift that gives twice over!

Your gift could be as small as £3 which will go towards supplying food, blankets, mosquito nets and other emergency supplies to an area affected by drought, violence or natural disaster. Your gift could be as large as £100 funding a mum where there is no mum, among the orphan’s of HIV/AIDS in Uganda. A £13 gift could train a Mothers’ Union member to support families who are coping with bereavement. There are many other choices among our ethical gifts, and they are all to be found HERE.

Whatever gift you chose you can know that it will be funding Mothers’ Union work in some of the world’s most deprived communities, each gift representing part of the cost of a crucial Mothers’ Union project.

For your gift card to be sent you in time for you to give it to your mother on Mothering Sunday (18th March) your orders need to be in by Wednesday 7th March 2012.

If you wish to advertise this form of ethical giving in your church, community centre or place of work, you are welcome to download this colour poster MAMD2012_DonationsAd

New Mothers’ Union Online Shop!

Administrator — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 15:26:33 +0000

Mothers’ Union is delighted to announce our new online shop at www.mueshop.org

We hope you like it because there are some great new features such as: advanced search, contact us page and RSS feed.

The best features occur once you’ve registered a new account (please note anyone with an old shop account will find it doesn’t work with this one). Once you register an email will be sent with a confirmation link, this link must be clicked for an account to be created. You may register here

Other great new features include a quick-search box, shipping to multiple addresses, wishlists, product comparisons, the ability to email products to friends, shipping worldwide. You can also add a donation to your order.

Prayer, Faith, Policy and Action – ours… and yours!

Administrator — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 20:58:00 +0000

As always, and despite the way the financial climate is impacting on both the income and expenditure of charities like Mothers’ Union, there is much to thank God for, and get involved in, among the work of Mothers’ Union members around the world. Here’s just a few things to use:

We remember in prayer those in Christchurch, New Zealand: MU_Prayer_earthquake_Christchurch

Prayer is always at the heart of every Mothers’ Union gathering and all the project work that we do around the world. Resources for the mid-day prayers of supporters for the next couple of months are here:
Midday_Prayers_March_2011

Woman carrying thatch in Kajo-Keji

Midday_Prayers_April_2011

In the latest Mothers’ Union Faith and Policy Watch (published jointly with the Church of England) there are details of government announcements relating to weddings and marriage, as well as the Law Commission’s consultation on marital agreements (pre-nuptual, post-nuptual and at seperation) and asks how these ideas can be related to the vows in the Anglican rite of marriage. The paper also asks if the last government’s target of eliminating child poverty by 2020 has been forgotten? The 4 page newsletter can be downloaded here: Faith_Policy_Watch_Mar_11

Red Nose Day takes place on Friday 18th March. Money raised from the day helps Comic Relief support projects that transform lives throughout the UK and Africa. One such project is Mothers’ Union’s Literacy and Financial Education Programme in Sudan. Last year it was successful in getting a grant of nearly £1million from Comic Relief, because it is proven to be successful at helping to alleviate poverty and inequality. We’re hoping that this work may soon be active in areas of Southern Sudan, including our link in Kajo-Keji.

Although this seems like a lot of money, the current financial climate continues to present us with enormous challenges to ensure that we can continue our work. Although we make every effort to be cost-effective with our plans, we still need to find money for our work in the UK and overseas. If you would like to help us why not take a look at our national website for the different ways you can support us: Mothers’ Union – Giving

Will you Make A Mothers’ Day?

Administrator — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 22:19:27 +0000

Mothers’ Day is on April 3rd.

Have you thought about how you will remember your Mother this year?

Mothers’ Union knows that sometimes mums need a hug, more than they need another coffee mug!

And sometimes, mums need the right to vote, as much as they need a cute baby goat!

If you want to give a gift this Mothers’ Day that will last far into the future, try our Make a Mothers’ Day ethical gift catalogue (click on the link).

If you’re planning worship for Mothering Sunday 2011 there are two resources you can download here that will give you ideas for readings, talks, and a form of service.

Feel free to select from or adapt them to suit your local situation.

Mothering Sunday Service Sheet – MAMD 2011 service_sheet
includes talk/meditation notes and children’s resource

Mothering Sunday Church Resources – MAMD 2011 church_resource

UPDATE:

A Key Stage 2 teaching resource split over two lessons which explores family life in rural Uganda. Children learn about how poverty and lack of resources affect families and how their family life differs from, and has the same concerns as, family life in the UK. The children learn about the things which make the lives of mothers, in particular, hard. Extension activities give the children the opportunity to have creative ideas on how they would tackle these problems and involve writing activities to connect their community with those in Uganda. Visual resource and worksheets supplied.

This resource would be a useful focus for Mother’s Day, but will be effective all year round. You can download the materials by clicking on this LINK.

Worship and our ‘Wave of Prayer’

Administrator — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 11:50:27 +0000

The work of Mothers’ Union and it’s members in the Diocese of Winchester and it’s partner dioceses will be at the centre of all prayers shared by Mothers’ Union members worldwide between January 21st -25th as it becomes for that period the focus of Mothers’ Union ‘Wave of Prayer’.

There is much more information about our links in Northern and Southern Uganda, Southern Tanzania and Southern Sudan here, and through the International ‘drop down’ boxes at the top of this screen. We should be particularly mindful as we pray this year of the referendum in Southern Sudan featured by the BBC here and in pictures here, and the security and future issues surrounding the results of the (expected) vote for independence.

There will be local services going on across the Diocese of Winchester during this period, where prayer and worship can be shared, and news gained of the specific areas of the world with which we share in prayer. Below are the details of the service to be held in Winchester during the period. If you have a service happening with your Mothers’ Union group in the Diocese of Winchester, please share the details using the ‘comments’ box below.

Winchester Deanery will be holding their Wave of Prayer Service at
St. Lawrence’s Church, Winchester City Centre on
Tuesday, 25th January

You are welcome to meet from 10.00 am for pre-service Coffee, and the service starts at 10.30 am.

Worship will be led by Deanery Chaplain, Revd Mike Gardner and the
Guest Speaker will be Mrs Angela Bushell, talking about our wider diocesan link with Burma.

Monies raised from retiring collection will go the to work of the Mothers’ Union Overseas.

Mothers’ Union at Winchester Cathedral Christmas Market 2011

Administrator — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 17:13:06 +0000

Mothers’ Union is thrilled to have been invited to take part in the prestigious Winchester Cathedral Christmas Market this year.

We will be there on Thursday 16th and Friday 17th December throughout it’s opening times (10am till 8pm both days) in the ‘charity hut’ which is situated near The Deanery.

Why not come and visit us to chat about what Mothers’ Union means to you, or discover what it means to 4 million people in over 80 countries around the world. There will be free copies of our publications for you to take away, and possibly a treat or two as well.

While you’re visiting us you will also be able to visit all the other many stalls, and hopefully complete any last minute Christmas shopping that you still need to do.

See you there!

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.