From the Conwy Valley in the west, stretching across the north Wales coast, bordering English counties to the east and then into the heart of Wales towards Newtown and Bala, the Diocese of St Asaph is diverse and beautiful within its nearly 100 mile length.
Today 56 branches with over 900 members are scattered over this diverse area. Following the creation of Diocesan Mission Areas the branches are now arranged into family groups.
The trustees and officials meet regularly throughout the year coming together with members at the spring and autumn councils taking place in Wrexham. Up-to-date information is put on Facebook and on the diocesan website.
Membership may be aging but it is still very active supporting local projects and having regular monthly meetings with interesting programmes. The annual branch project is on a three year rota. Year 1 – AFIA . Year 2 – a local “hands on” project. Year 3 - Fundraising for a specific joint project.
Our Work:
Our work continued throught out 2020 with meetings curtailed or cancelled. Branch officers came up with their own action plan depending on the local situation and were creative and inventive.
- Several branches have connections to their local Womens’ Refuge/Child Contact Centres/Domestic Abuse Support Units/Refugee families - by providing basic toiletries, bedding, toys etc. Most branch give supplies to foodbanks
- Branches regularly present emergency toiletry bags to Glan Clwyd Hospital, Wrexham Maelor hospital and Oswewstry hospital
- Knitters make twiddle muffs and premature baby clothes also hats for seafarer
- Rhyl, also Bistre, have helped provide a packed lunch for children during the school holidays although this was suspended in 2020
- A sponsored walk in 2019 led by the Chaplain raised almost £2,000. Plans to repeat this in 2020 were cancelled. But watch this space
- Berwyn Prison Wrexham - over 100 Christmas gifts were purchased in 2020 through the Prison Fellowship Angel Tree project
- We have previously supported the Wrexham night shelter
- AFIA holidays were suspended
The annual theme, Rebuilding hope and confidence is a deep desire to meet, pray and get involved in family issues whatever they may be. Within this beautiful part of the country there are many hardships and issues that Mothers' Union does not shy away from and sometimes it’s in doing the little things that can mean a lot.
To contact us, please email secretary.stasaphmu@yahoo.co.uk
The policy of the Church in Wales is to be bilingual. We include Welsh and English hymns and prayers in services and meetings.
January 2020
