In March members from Eastleigh Deanery will lead our worship as we celebrate together our work supporting marriage and family life and support in prayer other members [...]]]> On the first Wednesday of every month, Mothers’ Union members in the Diocese of Winchester meet for prayer and worship in the Epiphany Chapel of Winchester Cathedral.

In March members from Eastleigh Deanery will lead our worship as we celebrate together our work supporting marriage and family life and support in prayer other members in more than 80 countries in which Mothers’ Union is active.

At this particular service we hope to be able to welcome to a Mothers’ Union leader from Baghdad in Iraq. We hope that we might welcome you too?

The services starts at 10.30am on Wednesday 7th March 2012 and will last about half an hour. After the service we adjourn to the Refectory for refreshments.

Tuesday 29th November 2011 10am – 2pm St Leonards and St Ives Village Hall 

At our July Information Evening we held taster sessions exploring how we might action our new FIVE YEAR PLAN and went away to [...]]]> We would like as many Mothers’ Union supporters as possible to come to our next Information Day.

Tuesday 29th November 2011 10am – 2pm
St Leonards and St Ives Village Hall 

At our July Information Evening we held taster sessions exploring how we might action our new FIVE YEAR PLAN and went away to think in our local groups about how Mothers’ Union supporters in our area are going to achieve our 2012 targets, which are:

MARRIAGE –  

• Attend three wedding fairs in the region
• Recruit a marriage champion for 2013

FAMILY - 

• 10 groups who do not already support the Mothers’ Union Away From It All Family Holiday to run or organise a fund raising event

 MEMBERSHIP - 

•  Every Mothers’ Union group in the diocese to recruit at least one new member or replace  a lost member during 2012.

 If you are not already a Mothers’ Union member and these targets are something you    would like to help us achieve in your area, please come along and contribute ideas.

 Refreshments are provided but please bring a packed lunch.

At an RAF base, on holiday, in word, through worship and with free cake, Mothers’ Union members across the Diocese are supporting families in fun, practical ways this month, as the [...]]]>

Mothers' Union free homemade cake stall at RAF Odiham Families Day, 10th August 2011 - with Apache Helicopter doing aerobatics above!

At an RAF base, on holiday, in word, through worship and with free cake, Mothers’ Union members across the Diocese are supporting families in fun, practical ways this month, as the organisation celebrates its 135^th anniversary!

More than 100 homemade cakes were collected by Mothers’ Union members at Old Alresford on Wednesday and transported to RAF Odiham where, with 100s more they served 1000s of RAF personnel and their families at the RAF Odiham Families Day on Wednesday 10^th August. For the second consecutive year a team of Mothers’ Union members made a gift of FREE tea, coffee, squash and cake to families who attended.

The idea for the gift grew out of the desire of local Mothers’ Union members to show their appreciation for the sacrifices made by RAF personnel as they serve tours of duty overseas, especially in Afghanistan, as well as their families. This year’s team of 16 Mothers’ Union members served throughout the day as families circulated watching the flying displays and other attractions.

Mothers’ Union in the Diocese of Winchester is also offering Relationship Counselling to support to any Armed Forces family connection with the Diocese that is struggling to cope with the pressures service life places on their family. More information about this pilot project is available here. 

Many of the cakes had been made by the 140 members who gathered on Tuesday 9^th August at Old Alresford to celebrate the 135^th Anniversary of the founding of Mothers’ Union by Mary Sumner. Holy Communion was celebrated in St Mary’s Church by Right Revd Peter Hancock, Bishop of Basingstoke. In his address he Bishop Peter reminded members of the words of Teresa of Avila, that they are the ‘hands of Jesus’ as they support of marriage and family life around the world. Later in the day Rosemary Kempsell, Worldwide President of Mothers’ Union gave a presentation showing how Mothers’ Union members around the world are still living out the original vision of Mary Sumner who founded the organisation at Old Alresford.

Another team of Mothers’ Union supporters are also preparing for the region’s biggest annual project which offers a week’s holiday to families who would otherwise fail to get a break from difficult lives. This year’s break starts on Saturday 13^th August at a new venue for the holiday, Pilgrim Hall in East Sussex. Approximately 19 families will be hosted by a team who provide children’s activities, youth events, a day out, baby sitting, a fancy dress disco and the chance to receive unconditional love whatever their circumstances. For more information click the link here: Mothers’ Union ‘Away From It All’ Family Holiday

More photographs of the Mothers’ Union stall at the RAF Families Day and from the anniversary celebrations at Old Alresford, can be found at our Flickr group

Our main event will be a SERVICE FOR ALL THE FAMILY at 11.00am at Winchester Cathedral  on Saturday 17th September 2011

The service will feature MESSY PLAY activities for [...]]]> This year we are celebrating 135 years since Motehrs’ Union was founded – here in the Diocese of Winchester.

Our main event will be a
SERVICE FOR ALL THE FAMILY
at 11.00am at
Winchester Cathedral 
on
Saturday 17th September 2011

The service will feature MESSY PLAY activities for children,
and the UPS AND DOWN’S PUPPETS

The preacher will be
Right Revd Peter Hancock, Bishop of Basingstoke

We look forward to celebrating the work of Mothers’ Union and how our faith informs, strengthens and feeds family life.

EVERYONE IS WELCOME!

At our July Diocesan Meeting in Romsey we started to focus on exactly how our local [...]]]> Mothers’ Union leaders in the Diocese of Winchester have spent much of the last year working on a 5 year plan that will provide all our supporters with a focus for their energies in the next few years.

At our July Diocesan Meeting in Romsey we started to focus on exactly how our local groups might be able to increase awareness of, and fundraising for our work supporting families, promoting marriage and converting good-will into membership. This work will continue with a series of worshops at our November meeting.

We would encourage as many members as possible to attend our next meeting which is now at revised venue:

Diocesan Meeting

Tuesday 29^th November 2011

10.00 am to 2.00 pm

St Leonards and St Ives Village Hall

David Morris’s EDM 969 [...]]]> In the same week as David Morris, MP for Morecambe and Lunesdale, has tabled an Early Day Motion in Parliament highlighting Mothers’ Union’s Bye Buy Childhood campaign, Mothers’ Union has launched it’s petition to the Prime Minister asking government to fulfil it’s promise to tackle the commercialisation and sexualisation of children.

David Morris’s EDM 969 entitled COMMERCIALISATION AND CHILDHOOD states that

“That this House notes that childhood is a marketing opportunity worth £99 billion in the UK; is concerned about the effect on children’s wellbeing of the volume and some methods of advertising of children’s products; is particularly concerned about the use of sex to sell to children; welcomes Mothers’ Union’s Bye Buy Childhood campaign which challenges the commercialisation of childhood; recalls the Government’s promise to tackle the commercialisation and sexualisation of childhood; and calls upon the Government to take steps to fully prohibit sexualised media, marketing and products aimed at or easily accessible to children under 16.”

To add your voice to the campaign download this petition Bye Buy Childhood petition UK, seek the signatures of all those you know who support the campaign, and then send it to Mary Sumner House (head office of Mothers’ Union) by 10th January 2011 (the address is shown on the petition).

This petition will also be available to sign on Thursday 16th and Friday 17th December 2010 in the ‘charity hut’ at Winchester Cathedral Christmas Market. If you’ve already gained signatures for this petition from your local community you are welcome to bring them to us there for submission at the turn of the year with others from across the Diocese of Winchester.

Local Trustee, Rachel Hartland’s has also featured the Bye Buy Childhood campaign on her blog emphasising the need to use social networks to reinforce social campaigning, and asking which TV adverts cause the most pressure in your home? Why not respond to her queries by reading her blog, or find her on Facebook or Twitter.

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 [...]]]> 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!

WHO’s fault is it – should we blame government or industry?

WHY can’t we do somethingto change things for the better?

Please join an evening [...]]]>

WHAT impact does product placement, pester power and peer to peer sales on our children and our family life?

WHO’s fault is it – should we blame government or industry?

WHY can’t we do somethingto change things for the better?

Please join an evening discussion about the commercialisation of childhood, and how we cope with the pressures in our own home:

St. Peter’s Church, Yateley

Tuesday 30th November 7.30pm

Refreshments provided

A donation for expenses will be requested

For more information on Mothers’ Union Bye Buy Childhood campaign follow the links here or www.byebuychildhood.org

(St Leonards is between Ringwood and [...]]]> If you want to explore what Mothers’ Union is doing in contemporary family life here in the UK, then attending our forthcoming information day would be a great place for you to go:

LET’S TALK!

Monday 25th October 10am – 2.30pm
St Leonards & St Ives Village Hall

(St Leonards is between Ringwood and Bournemouth – for map click on link above)

Our Keynote Speaker is from the publications department of Mothers’ Union:

Catherine Butcher
Editor of ‘Families First’ Magazine

Other information available will include:

DVD presentation about the Mothers’ Union Bye Buy Childhood Campaign
Updates on Mothers’ Union projects across the Diocese including a new project supporting the families of those serving in our Armed Forces
Distribution of the latest edition of our regional newsletter ‘Archway’

All are welcome
Coffee is available from 9.30am, but you are asked to bring a packed lunch

If you are interested in discovering why or how you can talk about your passion for Mothers’ Union campaigns on social policy and international family issues using your social networking contacts, read a report from the recent Mothers’ Union conference here

The gift of free tea, coffee, squash and cake, grew out of a desire by local Mothers’ Union members to [...]]]> On Wednesday 11^th August at RAF Odiham’s Family Day, Mothers’ Union members from across the Diocese of Winchester distributed free drinks and homemade cake to the family members of serving personnel at the base.

The gift of free tea, coffee, squash and cake, grew out of a desire by local Mothers’ Union members to show their appreciation for everything the RAF gives our country, and the sacrifices made by its personnel and their families as they serve tours of duty overseas.

The event attracted more than 2000 people to share in all sorts of family activities and events, including a flying display featuring the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.

Home made cakes were the big feature of this feeding of thousands. Thanks to the generosity of many people in local Anglican churches around Odiham, Hartley Wintney and Yateley, and Mothers’ Union supporters from across the Diocese of Winchester, these were given away free, with absolutely no charge or donations to the charity being taken.

Venerable Ray Pentland, RAF Chaplain-in-Chief receiving a free copy of 'Families First' (the magazine resourcing family life published by Mothers' Union) accompanied by Revd Colin Weir, Padre RAF Odiham

18 Mothers’ Union members were able to help serve at this event, but many more had been involved in baking the cakes. Over the previous two days, approximately 100 additional full sized cakes had been collected from as far afield as Southampton, Brockenhurst and Winchester as Mothers’ Union supporters in different parishes had responded with great willingness to this chance to show their appreciation to a sector of the armed services.

1000s of pieces of cake were given away (we ran out of our 1500 paper plates and distributed the rest on platters and paper napkins), 1500 hot drinks were served, and litres of soft drink concentrate were used. Mothers’ Union members were also able to give away 250 free copies of ‘Families First’, the magazine that aims at encouraging stong marriages, good parenting, and an active faith – produced by Mothers’ Union enterprises. Many expressed their surprise at the generosity being shown, and the quality and variety of the cakes (especially the supply of allergy-free cakes), and the up-to-date, helpful material in the magazine.

After all this, just as in the Biblical story of the feeding of the 5000, there was some food left over. The few remaining cakes have been stored carefully and will be used on the Mothers’ Union Family Holiday, and to provide a welcome to mourners at the funeral of a Royal Marine in Yateley. Both of these events take place next week.