October meeting
Our monthly meeting on Thursday 17th October was titled “My Music”.
Members had brought CD’s of music by John Rutter, Aled Jones - Remember Me, The Soldiers - Coming Home, Aled Jones and Russell Watson - How Great Thou Art, and Louis Armstrong - Wonderful World. I chose Sarah Brightman’s Pie Jesus, one of my all time favourites.
We finished with a Prayer for our future and the Grace.
Bedhampton Coffee Morning
Margaret and I went to a Saturday am. coffee morning at St Nicholas Church Hall, Bedhampton, on 26th October. There were other guests besides us; we enjoyed tea and bics and bought cakes from the cake stall. There were tables selling cards and merchandise and two raffles, one of which had a prize of an enormous tray of cupcakes and a bottle of wine.
My prize from the second raffle - handwash and handcream - contained far less calories!
MU Christ Church Portsdown meeting
Tuesday 5th November - We had heard that the speaker at this meeting was to be a lady talking about her time working at Bletchley, which sounded really interesting so three of us decided we would go. Unfortunately the speaker who was 95, was unwell and not able to come and a substitute had had to be found at very short notice.
This, however, did not prove to be a disappointment as her replacement, talking about the History of Dolls, was excellent and had brought examples including wool dolls, dolls for harvest, wooden dolls, dolls made from wish-bones and wax headed dolls. These last two she explained are rare as they are so easily broken.
She makes dolls herself - one small one can take a week to complete.
She also knits and sews costumes for them and we saw a tiny jumper she had knitted.
This was a fascinating talk and made a most enjoyable afternoon at what will, from next January, be our own branch.
November meeting
Our speaker was Dorothy Pople from the Union of Catholic Mothers, who was to talk abou the First Steps 2 School - Peru project.
The meeting began with a short service led by Margaret. We had prayers, a reading from St Matthew (ready by Fiona) and a hymn - “He’s got the Whole World in His Hand” - Traditional.
The theme was Children. Dorothy has been involved with the Charity for over 20 years and is one of four trustees based in the UK. She has been to Peru three times for the Project.
First Steps 2 School - Peru runs a nursery for the poorest children in the Rainforest area. This enables their parents to work so they can earn enough to feed their children.
She was introduced to the Charity by a friend who encouraged her to make her first visit to Peru.
The Charity managed to buy land and had a big nursery built on it, which was completed in November 2018. At Easter 2019 it was officially opened, with Dorothy herself cutting the ribbon.
When Dorothy visited she discovered that the bathrooms and toilets had no doors on - apparently quite usual there! The children’s homes are often shacks with no indoor facilities.
The Nursery nurses employed there receive training as to how to stimulate and entertain the children.
There are approximately twenty children at the nursery at present - their ages range from 18 months to 6 years - at which age Peruvian children go to school.
Children who transfer from their nursery to school are better equipped to progress. Many rural children never leave their area. The Nursery helps to give them the opportunity to have a good start and more choices in their life.
Dorothy took lots of dressing up clothes for the children who love to dress up, also puzzles and duplo to play with. The Nursery runs from 8.30am to 12.30pm. Its administrator, Carlos, was brought up in the capital city Lima.
The Trustees take no money for expenses, all donations go to the charity.
The nearby villages had shacks and mud streets. The nursery is for anyone. Peru is a Christian country, mainly Catholic, with Spanish as its main language.
Dorothy had brought items for sale, mainly made by herself. There were lots of bags, cards, 2 cat toys and 2 lovely elephant doorstops. I bought a blue shopping bag with flowers on. Proceeds from the sale - £57.35 - will go to the Charity.
This was an inspiring talk and would be our last St George’s Mothers’ Union branch meeting.
Service to mark the closure of St George’s Mothers’ Union
19th December - A good number of people came to our Service to mark the closure of St George’s Waterlooville branch of the Mothers’ Union.
Fr Colin welcomed everyone to our Church, and then after the first hymn, Margaret gave ‘a brief look at our past’.
A reading from Psalm 71 followed, then a favourite hymn - Brother, Sister let me serve you.
There was a Gospel reading from Luke 1 and an address given by Revd Elizabeth Groves (our Diocesan President).
We lit three candles to recall our Overseas branch links and Prayers of Intercession were led by branch members.
After the MU Prayer, a final hymn and the Blessing and Dismissal by Fr Colin, we all adjourned to the Church Hall for tea and cakes.
This was a sad occasion - our branch’s closure after 109 years, but now we must look forward to a new beginning joining our friends at Christ Church Portsdown Mothers’ Union in the New Year.
Janet Johnson
