The Mothers Union at St. John's Church,

The Mothers’ Union Registered Charity No. 250129

The Mothers’ union (MU) is the largest Anglican Christian organisation which promotes the well-being of families worldwide. Founded in 1876 it now has 3.6 million members in 76 countries, the majority of whom are outside the UK and Ireland. Members are encouraged to support the work of the organisation through prayer, raising finances and getting involved in local projects.

Membership is open to all Christians who believe in the importance of family life. Men and women, married or not - all can and do join the MU.

Links with members overseas
All UK Dioceses are linked to Diocese overseas through the wave of prayer, whereby a group of Dioceses is remembered in prayer for a five day period during the year. Coventry is linked to two Dioceses in Madagascar, one in Zambia and two in Nigeria.

Money raised for overseas is administered in grants from the London Head office and the following funds benefit from this.

Overseas Fund: the Overseas Fund pays for training, equipment and start-up costs for income generating projects. In 2006, nearly £1m was sent out. £182,000 was awarded in Relief Fund grants. Of this, Coventry Diocese raised just over £5,000 for the Overseas Fund and £1,500 for the Relief Fund.

Relief Fund: The Emergency Relief Fund sends money direct to MU Workers in areas hit by war, famine, flood and natural disasters, and is often the first Aid money received.

MU Literacy and Development Programme: The MULDP, started in 2000, uses locally trained literacy teachers to deliver literacy, numeracy and small business skills to members and their communities in Burundi, Malawi and Sudan. So far over 8,000 people have benefited. Comic Relief awarded a grant of £750,000 to enable the programme to be extended to other dioceses. A short film of the programme is available to borrow.

For more information about the Mothers’ Union’s work overseas, see the MU website www.themothersunion.org

Finacial support for projects at home

Away From it all (AFIA) which enables people experiencing fiancial hardship or stress to take a much needed break.

Britain and Ireland Fund where money is used for projects in the UK. Most recently has been funding for Parenting Facilitators courses enabling members to run parenting courses locally.

Examples of what members in the Coventry Diocese are involved in include Prison Visiting, are members of Prayer Chains, knit for premature babies, make gowns for still born babies, help with baptism and marriage preparation, virtual babies, run parent and toddler groups, crèches and much more. For more information about MU in this Diocese see our website www.mothersunion-cov.org.uk

Top

We have regular meetings - the Afternoon group meets on the third Thursday and the Evening group on the first Wednesday of each month and there is a Bible Study on the last Wednesday. Speakers at meetings focus on the aim of MU which is to promote the well being of families worldwide. The current leader is Mary Bailey (853088). Members are also involved with a wide range of activities - helping at Toddlers’ group, Tea and Chat, running Parents Talking, running Parenting courses, collecting and sorting haberdashery for TWAM, supporting the Globe café for international students at University of Warwick, visiting sick and lonely. We provide family events such as Family Fun Days with barbecues, Easter egg hunt to involve the young members. We hold discussion times on issues about which the MU is asked to make comment eg Abortion and currently the Format of Civil Weddings. Each year we pack shoeboxes for the Operation Christmas Child appeal. We have fun and fellowship too with with Summer Teas, Christmas lunches, outings and quiet days.

The original Banner made in 1930 by Phyllis Barnes now our oldest member at 95

Underlying all this is our prayer life for members worldwide and for the well-being of families.