Our work includes local projects. Some members help at the Roberts Centre, others with the occasional Wedding Fairs where our slogan is ‘Wedding Think Church’ and a wedding cake is won as the result of a quiz. We supply emergency toilet bags to the QA Hospital and support with clothing, toiletries, bedding etc the local women's refuges at Havant, Portsmouth and Fareham. For the last two years we have taken mums and their children from the refuges, across to the Isle of Wight for a day at the seaside, with lunch, sand castle competitions etc, ending the day with a Fish and Chip supper before bringing them back. Hand knitted and hand sewn tiny gowns and capes are made for the babies that are stillborn. For the neonatal unit at QA we knit ventilator bonnets and small blankets. They provide the patterns. For dementia sufferers we make Twiddle muffs to keep anxious hands warm and occupied. These are delivered to appropriate nursing homes.
Trained overseas workers provide literacy and numeracy classes, health, healthy eating and HIV/AIDS advice and help to initiate small fund raising projects which enable mothers to pay for their children’s schooling etc.
Here at St George's we are a small and aged group but we would welcome a new, vibrant group of younger members who would probably meet informally of an evening. Such a group existed here from 1977 to the interregnum before Fr Mike’s arrival. If you have no time or inclination to attend meetings Diocesan Membership is available for which information and magazines are supplied regularly and your subscription helps to maintain the work in the UK and world wide.
As I’m sure you knew this organisation is called Mothers’ Union and was founded by a rector’s wife, Mary Sumner in 1876, in an endeavour to encourage parents to bring up their children in the knowledge and faith of Christian values and worship. Over her bed she had the slogan '”Be yourself what you would wish your children to be'”. Mary Sumner visited the Vicar’s wife of St George’s in November 1910 encouraging her to open a branch of the MU. At first it met quarterly but soon grew in numbers and met more frequently. That took place 108 years ago. Besides our monthly meetings in the Hall we meet with other branches for services eg The Lady Day Service, strawberry teas, coffee mornings etc and with the UCM [Union of Catholic Mothers and the Local Baptist Women’s Fellowship, from time to time.
Our programme can be found on the MU board in the Hall and at the back of the church. If you would like to come as a visitor you would be most welcome at any of our meetings. or you could contact Margaret on 02392 252338.
Margaret Symonds
Started 142 years ago as a small parish group in the Rectory of Old Alresford, Hants, this organisation blossomed in 1815 following a Church Congress for women, held in Portsmouth at which its founder was asked, without prior notice to address those present.
Females were not expected to speak in public at that time. Such was her conviction regarding care and concern for family life and the raising of children that the following day this small local organisation was promoted to a Diocesan Organisation by the Bishop of Winchester and his associates. It spread very rapidly throughout the world and today has 4 million members in 83 countries.
Membership is open to all, who have been baptised and who are concerned with enhancing and strengthening marriage and family life. This includes men, women married or single, and includes clergy and MP’s.
