Windsor Team Ministry

Mothers' Union

One of the aims of the Mothers’ Union is to uphold Christ’s teaching on the nature of marriage and to promote its wider understanding. Katy Kerr has trained as a marriage preparation facilitator at Mothers’ Union Headquarters. It therefore was appropriate for Katy to talk to us about a local initiative the Mothers’ Union are taking to support marriage.

The Mothers’ Union in Oxford has been talking with another charity called Explore to see how they both can work together. Explore have come up with a good idea to help young people absorb and observe how relationships work through personal experience. People generally and young people in particular learn about marriage and family life through their own families and from books and TV. Sometimes this can give a negative and discouraging view, but most young people want happy and lasting relationships. Explore asks married couples to go into schools and talk to young people about marriage and relationships. This gives the young people the opportunity to ask questions about the couple’s experiences of the ups and downs of married life. In this way the youngsters can be helped to see how to build relationships and have a successful marriage.

Katy gave us a very interesting afternoon and made us all realise how important marriage preparation is. It is to be hoped that the talks between Explore and the Mothers’ Union in Oxford will allow this vital work to be expanded to more schools.

Dates for your Diary

October 7th - Travels with Una Barnard at 2.30pm in the Parish Hall.

November 4th – Primrose Gallimore talks about her visit to Australia for World Wide Council at 2.30pm in the Parish Hall.

Anne Bailey

Branch Secretary

Have a BIG BREW on 7th March

Come to the BIG BREW MORNING organised by the Mothers’ Union on 7th March from 10.30am to 1.00pm at the Parish Church.  Your first cup of tea or coffee will be free.  Proceeds will go to the Mothers’ Union Overseas Fund.  There will also be a Fairtrade  stall. 

Elections at the Mother's Union AGM

 

Our AGM on 7^th January was attended by thirteen of us. It was my last report as Branch Leader as the rules state that after six years as Branch Leader I have to stand down. I was pleased to report that 2008 had been a good year and that once again we had an interesting variety of speakers. The Secretary’s, Treasurer’s and Branch Leader’s reports were circulated and accepted.

We then moved on to the election of Officers and committee. Estlyn Davies was elected Branch Leader, Anne Bailey was elected Secretary and Doreen Laity was elected Treasurer. Jean Lightfoot had to stand down from the committee and Margaret Gard was elected in her place.

The new committee is as follows

Estlyn Davies - Branch Leader

Anne Bailey - Secretary

Doreen Laity - Treasurer

Katy Kerr, Margaret Parsons, Beryl Leishman and Margaret Gard.

News from the Mothers' Union

 

We were all saddened to hear that Edith Charity had died. Edith had been a member of the Mothers’ Union for many years. When I visited her recently she told me that she joined in 1949. Until she became housebound she seldom missed a meeting and at one time held the office of Branch Leader. In recent years ill health prevented her from attending meetings, but she remained very interested in our Branch and what we were doing. I was always asked how everyone was and what was happening when I visited her. We will miss her greatly.

On a happier note we had our Advent Service on December 3rd. The Service was taken by the Rev. June Faulkner ably assisted by Katy Kerr. It followed the usual format of singing a few carols, some readings and lighting the Advent Candles. June’s reflection was really thought provoking and inspiring. It helped us focus on what our faith was calling us to do and what we wanted to do. Thank you June for taking the Service and making it so special. After the Service we had tea and mince pies, and a good old chat with one another. Ella Yarrow was able to join us and it was lovely to see her and catch up with her news.

Mothers Union AGM on January 7th 2009

 

The Mothers' Union AGM will be held on January 7th at 2.30pm in the Parish Hall

Mothers' Union transported to Madagascar

  

On a bleak grey November day we were transported to sunny Madagascar by Adrian and Veronica Stabbins, who gave us a talk about their holiday there. The talk was in three parts.

In the first part Adrian showed us some slides he had taken on a visit to Isalo National Park. The colours of the flowers were amazing. All the different animals were so well camouflaged it was difficult to pick them out. The vivid colours of the various types of chameleons we saw were absolutely spectacular. I would not like to be around when the lemurs were calling. They made a really loud high pitched noise which was very eerie and frightening.

The second part was a short video which Veronica had made during a canal trip to outlying parts of the island. The group that Adrian and Veronica were with accompanied a medical team who were going to check that everyone was well in outlying villages. It was fascinating to see the local dress and how the older children looked after their younger siblings. They all loved having their photographs taken.

The third part was another of Veronica’s videos. It was of a trip on a steam train through outlying parts of Madagascar. At every stop eager crowds of people tried to sell all sorts of things like food, vegetables and clothing.

It was a very interesting being armchair travellers for the afternoon. The people did not have much but they were very happy and welcoming, which really made you think.

Thank you, Adrian and Veronica for a very enjoyable afternoon

The Mothers' Union learn about Thames Hospicecare at their October meeting

 

Anne Marie Rogers from Thames Hospicecare was our speaker on October 1st. A couple of years ago Thames Valley Hospice in Windsor and Paul Bevan Hospice in Ascot merged and became Thames Hospicecare. Anne Marie took up her current role with Thames Hospicecare about two years ago following her father’s death in the hospice.

The Hospice in Hatch Lane has sixteen beds (2 four-bedded areas and 8 single rooms). Patients can be admitted for a fortnight to let their carers have a holiday. Everything is done to ensure the comfort and well being of the patient during the time they are in Pine Lodge. The families are supported and helped through what is a very difficult time.

The Paul Bevan Hospice is a day centre at Heatherwood Hospital. Patients go there to give their carers a break for a day and where they can relax and try new skills. They can try their hand at painting or other sorts of craft work; just read a book, or do jig-saw puzzles. There are facilities for patients to have assisted baths. Regular support visitors include a hairdresser and a chaplain.

It costs £5 million pounds a year to run Thames Hospicecare. A grant of £1 million is given by the Local Authority. The rest has to be raised by local fund raising societies and from the Hospicecare shops.

It was a really interesting afternoon. I am sure we will all be going into the Hospicecare shop to do our bit to support the wonderful work that Thames Hospicecare does.

 

Mothers' Union meeting on 5th November

  

The Mothers' Union will meet at 2.30pm in the Parish Hall on November 5th.  Adrian and Veronica Stubbins will talk about Madagascar.

Mothers' Union dates for November

 

On the 5th November, Adrian and Veronica Stabbins will talk to us about Madagascar.

Mothers' Union October meeting

The Mothers' Union will meet on 1st October 2008, at 2.30pm in the Parish hall.  A speaker from Thames Hospicare will talk about their work there.