Our impact in 2022
Watch Our Impact video of what we achieved as a global movement in 2022.
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Annual Gathering 2023
Over 700 members and friends of Mothers' Union attended the Annual Gathering 2023 in York. It was an opportunity to join together from across Britain and Ireland to showcase the innovative ways Mothers’ Union members respond to issues raised in and by their communities. From supporting new mother’s, running toddler groups, volunteering and offering respite breaks for families in need – we do whatever the community needs, when they need it.
Supporting fathers in prison
Mothers’ Union works in a number of prisons in a variety of ways - knitting hats for the prisoners, supporting families and running crèches.
During Covid, the visits to prisons had to cease completely due to lockdown both for MU members and visitors, which was a struggle for family relationships. Once visits were permitted again, physical contact was still not allowed due to social distancing, which was a continued strain on the prisoners and their families. Children were not able to hug or have physical touch with their parent in prison.
How Mothers' Union is helping to tackle FGM and child marriage
On the International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) 6th February, we wanted to highlight the important work happening in Tanzania, Diocese of Mara. Faith House, an organisation run by Mothers’ Union in Mara, has been working with young girls since February 2015. Their main aim is to protect young girls in the community and educate them about the effects of FGM, gender-based violence and child marriage. With this new knowledge and confidence, the girls then have the self-awareness to stand up for themselves.
Knitting Teddies for Tragedies
After war broke out in Ukraine last year, families have been fleeing their homes to find a safe haven. Sadly, this means a lot of children have left their lives behind, including family and friends, for an unknown life in the UK.
Being Dad
She finished her facilitator training in 2007 and has been involved in community parenting and prison work since then. She said about the starting of the programme, “I started doing this work when my sons were about the same age as those in the prison. I was acutely aware that there but for the grace of God go I. Many have had difficult lives and no life chances”. Jackie works with at least one other person to deliver the course. Two new helpers have recently joined her, which she says is wonderful.
Enabling agents of change: Mothers' Union literacy programme in Sudan
The programme first started in Khartoum in 2000. It gradually finally into all five dioceses of Sudan in 2019. MU Sudan undertook the training of MU Coordinators to become literacy trainers as planned in April 2019 in Port Sudan in the north of the country. Six women were trained – one each for Port Sudan, Kadugli, Wad Medani, El Obeid and two for Khartoum. Each diocese has now trained 10 volunteer literacy facilitators who facilitate a group of 25 illiterate women in a literacy circle.
Answering The Need As We Saw It
(Article originally published in Connected Spring 2022)
Supporting prisoners and their families
Dementia Action Week 2022
A fidget blanket is a knitted blanket with items attached so that someone in the later stages of dementia can keep their hands busy. People with dementia can often have restless hands, caused by feelings of anxiety or just through boredom, when they can fidget and pick at their clothes. So having a fidget blanket provides comfort as well as simple activities to keep their hands busy.
Theme for 2022: Loneliness
People suspected that this woman had dementia. Elsa discussed this with the vicar, and began befriending this woman – visiting her and picking her up to take her to mid week communion. As their relationship developed, Elsa asked this lady to help volunteer cleaning the church. A year later, this woman who everyone suspected was suffering from dementia, shared that if it wasn’t for Elsa, she would probably be dead. She had been isolated and depressed, and was also having suicidal thoughts. Elsa’s friendship and encouragement had helped her to regain a sense of purpose.
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