One Mothers’ Union member from the Diocese of Winchester has spent several years living and working among the people of Southern Sudan, and she has offered to share her experiences with everyone who is interested in the region and it’s people.

Tales of South Sudan
Crosfield Hall, Romsey 6.00-9.00pm (refreshments from 5.30pm)
Thursday 15th July 2010
Speaker: Poppy Spens

In the last four years Poppy and her husband have set up 2 health centres, a mobile clinic, and this year a children’s’ ward and eye clinic opens. The picture shown here was taken by Poppy and shows Mothers’ Union members who will feature in her slide show.

Mothers’ Union in the Diocese of Winchester is linked in prayer with Mothers’ Union members in the Southern Sudanese Diocese of Kajo-Keji.

The evening will also feature other news about Mothers’ Union work locally and around the globe, including this years Family Holiday which local members and supporters will be running for a week in August on the Isle of Wight.

Directions for Crosfield Hall, Romsey are downloadable here: Crosfield Hall

Wolvesey in Winchester

If you feel you need to take time-out from your normal schedule to sit with God and receive from him, here’s a really good chance for you to do just that.

You would be most welcome to come and share in the next Mothers’ Union Quiet Day to be held at Wolvesey in Winchester on Wednesday 21st July 2010. The day will be led by Revd Norman Boakes, a member of the Discipleship and Ministry Department of the Diocese of Winchester and a supporter of Mothers’ Union. Revd Boakes will be leading the day using the theme “Relationship not Rules”.

The Quiet Day will start at 10am and finish at 3.30pm and will include a Eucharist. Drinks are provided but you are asked to bring your own sandwich lunch. There are a short flight of stairs to the Chapel where the main sessions of the day will be led.

If you would like to take advantage of this opportunity, please download our QuietDay_July10_BookingForm and return it to us with a £3.00 donation/person. Places are limited to 50 so please book soon to avoid disappointment. A map is available here: Winchester – Wolvesey

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)

Southampton Street Pastors and members of the public pose for a photo

Southampton Street Pastors have been patrolling the city centre on Friday and Saturday nights since May this year. There 48 volunteers are each out once per month from 10pm to 4am helping people to stay safe and have a good time. Over the last four months they have helped nearly 100 people in different ways.

They are holding an information lunch for anyone who would like to get the latest information about what is happening. This event is for anyone who wants to know more about Street Pastors. You may be thinking of volunteering yourself, or you may just be curious.

Southampton Street Pastors Information Lunch
Saturday 26th September 2009
11am to 2pm
Millbrook Christian Centre, 51a Wimpson Lane, SO16 4QF

11.00 – Refreshments and registration
11.15 – Street Pastors – the national context, roles and responsibilities
11.45 – Stories from the streets – hear about what has been happening in Southampton
12.00 – Volunteering – training, being a street pastor; other help that is needed
12.30 – Lunch – opportunity to chat with existing street pastors
13.30 – Question and Answer time
14.00 – Close

Please RSVP to Richard Pitt by Monday 22nd September if you want to go to this event by email to: southampton@streetpastors.org.uk or telephone 023 8099 9896

Please tell them where you saw this advert, and if you decide to get involved, come back and tell us all about it!

We will be welcoming
John Wilkinson OBE
Secretary of Hampshire based charity
Education Uganda

John is one of a group of experienced educationalists who are improving primary education in Uganda by supplying schools and training Ugandan teachers in the use of individual blackboards for children to use – what in Uganda they call slates! These are making a big difference, and John will be explaining why. He was in Uganda in July so his news will be very up-to-date!

We welcome anyone interested to come and hear John Wilkinson speak, but if you want further information about this work, please click on the link to Education Uganda

The meeting will also feature an update on Mothers’ Union activities in our region. We will also be selling Mothers’ Union gifts and cards at very advantageous prices – the last opportunity to do so, as from next year local groups and members will be asked to order direct from our head office, Mary Sumner House. Christmas cards and diaries will not be on sale, but pre-ordered ones will be available for collection.

Drinks will be available but you are asked to bring your own packed lunch.

Here are instructions for getting to the Underhill Centre at Hedge End, Southampton (M27 J7 if you are travelling from the North, M27 J8 if you are travelling from the South.)

Written directions to St. John's Hedge End

Map directions to St. John's Hedge End

The first is the latest update about Social Policy issues as the Mothers’ Union connects with current reports and issues affecting family life, including parental leave.

Rachel Aston, Head of Social Policy at Mothers’ Union, and speaker at this weeks Mary Sumner Day event at Old Alresford Place, is asking for feedback on the ‘Every Family Matters’ report commissioned by Iain Duncan Smith.

Information on both these issues can be found by clicking on this link: Policy_Watch_August_2009

Rachel Aston will be speaking on the ‘Commercialisation of Childhood’ at Old Alresford Place near Winchester this Sunday 9th August. Follow the link to this previous post for full details and a location map: Mary Sumner Day 2009

There is also news of how Mothers’ Union provided Relief Fund grants in Sudan, DR Congo and Uganda in the wake of violence by the Ugandan based Lords Resistance Army, which has since eased. The Relief Fund grants support the emergency needs of those caught up in natural and man-made disasters, including the current draught conditions in Kenya. More information can be found in this link: Relief_UpdateApril _July_09

Our next regional meeting will be at

St. Boniface Church Centre, Chandlers Ford
Wednesday 22nd July 6.00pm – 9.00pm
(drinks from 5.30pm)

Our Mothers’ Union and personal faith foundations will be explored in three workshop sessions looking at reaching out and sharing our principles and faith. These will be led by our
Faith and Policy Co-ordinator,
Angela Bushell

There will also be brief reports about various aspects of Mothers’ Union work, regionally and worldwide.

Your essential kit for the evening?

• A car full of friends
• A Bible
• Paper and pencil

What you need to know to join us:

St. Boniface Church Centre, Hursley Road, Chandlers Ford,
Hampshire, SO53 2FT
st-boniface-map-chandlers-ford
(St. Boniface is situated about 5 minutes drive from Junction 12 of the M3)

Mothers' Union relief distribution in Muhabura, Uganda to refugees from Democratic Republic of Congo in February 2009

Members of the Mothers’ Union in the Winchester region will be pleased to know that a new edition of ‘Archway’ is due out at the end of July. It will be distributed at our forthcoming Information Evening, to be held at St. Boniface Church, Chandlers Ford at 6.00pm on Wednesday 22nd July.

Features in the forthcoming issue include:

• news of Relief Fund grants to two of our link diocese, Masasi in Tanzania and Muhabura in southern Uganda, and a visit to the Diocese of Winchester by the Bishop of Muhabura and his wife, Right Revd Cranmer and Mrs Hope Mugisha;
• the announcement of our new Diocesan President for 2010-2012;
• information about this years AFIA Family Holiday on the Isle of Wight, including your prayer diary for the week;
• news from Shyogwe Diocese in Rwanda about Mothers’ Union work there which is supported by members in the Lyndhurst area of this diocese;
• more information about Street Pastors and prison chaplaincy, as previously featured on this website;
• photograph’s from our Mothers’ Union Festival Service in April, with a summary of the address given by Right Revd Michael Scott-Joynt, Bishop of Winchester;
• news of what has been happening among some of your local groups, including some fantastic picnic photographs from Ringwood and Odiham as they celebrated National Family Week in May.

If you live in the region covered by the Diocese of Winchester, and think all this sounds interesting, but you are not a member of Mothers’ Union, please take time to read more about us on this website, and then contact us if you would like to become a member.

Given that this idea was arranged by ‘word of mouth’ and internet at short notice, members are thrilled with the collection.

Follow our tags to find out more about Street Pastors. The posts now include feedback from the first Street Pastors night in Southampton for which we’re really grateful. If you want to donate more flip-flops direct to local groups please follow the links they have provided from the ‘comments’ section on the following post: Is there an urban trinity near you?

The closing procession at the Mothers' Union Festival Service 2009

More than 200 Mothers’ Union members from across the region gathered at Winchester Cathedral on Wednesday 29th April. Together with fellow member Right Revd Michael Scott-Joynt (Bishop of Winchester) they celebrated the theme of ‘Living Love’ in worship, prayer, music and an inspiring drama called ‘The Good Punk Rocker’. The Eucharistic Service also heard an inspiring sermon by Bishop Michael who gave two very interesting insights into the meaning of ‘Living Love’.

More photographs and details of this event will be featured in the next issue of our newsletter ‘Archway’ which is due to be circulated in late July.