About Us

St Mary's Mothers' Union branch was founded 50 years ago in November 1958 by the wife of Canon Dudley Hodges the Rector of the time. The Mothers' Union itself originated in 1876  - this fairly late date for a branch at St Mary's was possibly because there had been a bachelor rector for forty years in the first half of the 20th century.

The Mothers' Union worldwide has 3.6 million members and its chief aim is Christian care for families. This include literacy projects , disaster relief, parenting groups, prison work and parliamentary lobbying on family and women's issues.

The branch meets on the fourth Thursday of  most months in the church hall with some meetings preceded by Holy Communion in church. The leader is Christine Banham and she and a small committee arrange the programme which includes speakers from local churches and Mothers' Union members, coffee mornings with sales to raise funds for Mothers' Union work here and abroad and occasional outings. This summer members visited the Flower Festival in Eccleshall church and had a tea party at the leaders garden (on a very fine day!) The November meeting was a celebration of the branch jubilee with other branches in the deanery invited.

Branch members make Christingles for the children's service on Christmas Eve and other projects include knitting teddies for children involved in traumatic situations (distributed by the ambulance and fire services). clothes for premature babies, Christmas cards for prisoners and post-baptism visiting.

The other branches in the deanery are at Berkswich and St Paul's with some deanery members from Salt. The deanery meetings are held quarterly at St Mary's apart from the deanery festival in the summer which takes place at one of the several churches in turn.

St Mary's branch has about 25 members at present and would very much like to increase this. Details of forthcoming meetings are on the noticeboard in the south transept and any new potential members are very welcome to come along.

Anyone interested in the work of the Mothers' Union or in joining the branch is welcome to these meetings.

Christine Banham - Branch Leader

Page Last Updated 24th October 2008