As I write we are about to have our annual lunch, this time at the Beefeater, which our members will enjoy as a start to the New Year.

In February, on Wednesday 15th, we have our AGM and we look forward to our Rector speaking to us when the business is completed and to refreshments of course.

March is always busy! On Friday, 2nd March the Women’s World Day of Prayer Service will be held at St Chads, Wybunbury at 2pm & 7pm, and on Wednesday, 14th March the MU Wave of Prayer will be part of the midweek Communion Service. On Wednesday, 21st Josie Long will be speaking to us on Celtic Spirituality. To complete the month, we at Wistaston, will be hosting the Lady Day Service on Monday, 26th March at 10.00am.

Dates for your diary: April 18th: AIDS IN KENYA – ‘The Margaret Story’, speaker Dr Arthur Jackson
May 9th: AFTERNOON TEA – Fund raising event at St Luke’s at 2pm.

We hope we shall see you at some, or all of these events – visitors are most welcome.

Audrey Ballard

Branch Programme
 

We welcomed 2 new members and 1 member who re-joined at the Enrolment Service on Wednesday, 5th October 2011.  The service was conducted by Revd Ken Sambrook.  Pictured (L-R) are Mrs Muriel Platt, who first joined in 1961 in Lichfield Diocese; Mrs Daphne Gregory (new member), Revd Ken Sambrook, Mrs Dorothy Butler (new member) and Mrs Sue Squirrell (Branch Leader).

Members of Nantwich Deanery enjoyed Afternoon Tea at St Matthew's Church Hall, Haslington, Crewe on Mary Sumner’s Day (August 9th).  Pictured are some of the members enjoying the refreshments and also some of the cakes!  The afternoon raised £80 for the Holidays Away Project and also £30 for the Food Parcel for the local family who benefitted from this initiative.

Mothers' Union had a successful afternoon at the fête on 18th June.  Sue was joined by committee members:- Pat, Jenny and Joan who helped on the stall.  Thanks to them and also everyone who supported us.

A total of £178.00 was made and the proceeds will go towards MU projects.  There was also some interest in the work of the Mothers’ Union
 

A total of £300 was raised at the Afternoon Tea on Wednesday 11th May.  This money will go towards the MU Projects: Worldwide Fund, Relief Fund, Literacy & Development, and Britain & Ireland Fund.  Thank you to everyone who supported this event and the committee for their efforts.  Also, thanks to Daphne for the raffle and Ann Stubbs for making the lovely cup cakes!
 

The new Committee was approved at the AGM on Wednesday, 16th February at St Mary's Church Hall.  Sue Squirrell did a Presentation about Mothers' Union and the work of the branch.  Previous Committee members were thanked for their work, with a basket of flowers, and the meeting finished with refreshments and a piece of 'MU' cake (pictured) - Delicious!

On Wednesday, 2nd February 2011 Mrs Sue Squirrell was commissioned as the new Branch Leader for St Mary’s Wistaston.  A lovely service was conducted by Revd Mike Turnbull and Revd Ken Sambrook and Sue was supported by members of the Mothers’ Union and congregation.  Pictured are (from left to right): Louise Mumford (Deanery Leader), Mrs Jenny Shirt (acting Leader), Mrs Sue Squirrell and Revd Mike Turnbull.
 

On Wednesday, 19th January at 12.30pm, our New Year Lunch was held in the Church Hall with Conla Bedson and her team of catering ladies doing the honours and providing a delicious meal.  Entertainment was provided afterwards with Jenny Shirt organising games and a raffle for a lovely display of flowers (pictured).  Mike Turnbull (also pictured) played his guitar and everyone joined in with singing hymns.

5 new members were enrolled at the Mothers’ Union Membership Service at St Mary’s, Wistaston on 10th October, together with 2 members who have transferred from another branch/diocese.  Pictured are:
Revd Mike Turnbull, Olwen Shone, Sue Squirrell, Louise Mumford (Deanery Leader), Sarah Turnbull, Joan Cadman, Ann Stubbs and Revd Ken Sambrook.

They were welcomed by current members of the Mothers’ Union and the congregation

The Mothers’ Union Literacy and Development Programme is celebrating its 10th anniversary to achieve a recognised level of literacy and numeracy since 2000 in Burundi, Malawi and Sudan.

Over a £1 million of Mothers’ Union money and £800,000 of partnership fund-ing has been spent, some of which was from Comic Relief, who have now given another grant of nearly £1 million! to cover the next 5 years for this work to continue. More than £5,000 had been raised by Families First readers (Britain’s best selling Christian magazine) through this Lent with the ‘Country Blessings’ fund raiser scheme.

The programme trains adults in reading, writing and arithmetic skills, helping some of the world’s poorest people to find long-term solutions to tackle the poverty on which they live. The programme has achieved the following:-

• Over 74,000 people, the majority of the women, have taken the course, with over 53,000 achieving accreditation which means that in those countries literacy rates have risen from 68% to 79%
• Led to communication skills of all kinds, for example: better partnership and co-operation between men and women is promoted and relation-ships improved
• The women are participating in household and community decisions, which leads to more confidence in the women to find solutions relating to issues of health and hygiene, gender inequality, women’s rights, income generation and HIV/AIDs
• Able to set up their own businesses
• Realising the importance of schooling for their children
• Able to give the correct doses of medicine
• When dealing with money they know the correct money is given and re-ceived

Jenny Hall (Deanery Promotions Rep)
 

74 people attended the Mary Sumner Day At St Chads, Wybunbury on August 9th, much to the delight of Louise Mumford, Deanery Leader.  Pictured are Jenny Hall with the Wistaston Display, which covered one of the MU Projects: Literacy and Development.  Also pictured are Louise (with her hat!), Pat, Daphne, May and Jean from St Mary’s, Wistaston.  £100 was raised for the Wheels Appeal from the plate and the bring and buy.

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Branch Programme

The Work of Mothers' Union in Nantwich Deanery