Spring Events 2025

The daughter of a friend, (Heather) got into a conversation with a lady on the train, as she travelled to work one day. The day was the 24th March and the lady was Kathleen Snow, who was on her way to be commissioned as our Worldwide President. Kathleen asked Heather to take a photograph of her and to pass on greetings to St Cuthbert’s branch! During my time as Diocesan President we were encouraged to explain the work of the Mothers’ Union whilst travelling in a moving lift, perhaps the train led to a more leisurely explanation of who we are and what we do. Jennifer Snowdon
Holy Nativity members were delighted by the talk given to us by Helen Cooper today. We were shown many examples of her work and delighted to see the first of ten completed kneelers for Newcastle Cathedral.
	The Marketing Team met with Peter Cumiskey in Cafe 22 at Newcastle Catnedral was happy to give us advice on the way forward

Easter 2025 across the Diocese

Easter Across the Diocese

I visited the Northumberland Woman’s Refuge in Holy week to deliver a large selection of Easter eggs donated by our members and congregation of St Cuthbert’s Blyth for the families. I also delivered the fantastic toiletry bags donated from St Bede’s branch, and outdoor toys, books and craft items. The staff were, as ever, very grateful for these donations as the photograph shows. Jennifer Snowdon
	Members of Bedlington Deanery enjoying tea and cake after our Lenten Reflection service at St Cuthbert’s Blyth shortly before Easter.
	During the last week of term, we had a wonderful day at St Cuthbert’s, where we welcomed nearly 100 children from our local school, Croftway Academy, who came along and learnt about the Easter egg and that an empty chocolate egg is symbolic of the empty tomb. Members of the congregation, including Mothers’ Union members, Knitted or crochet over 100 chicks for the children to take home with a chocolate egg hidden inside their chick.
The First Internet Branch provided 24 Real Easter Eggs, one for every child at Harbour Refuge. The 18 women each received an Easter card containing a Greggs £10 food voucher, generously donated by Greggs themselves.

Council April 4th 2025

Council & AGM April 2024
Over 50 members attended our Spring Council meeting. We had our AGM and then we had a talk with a Presentation from John and Lena Stephenson from the Charity ReNew North East. This is the charity we will work with inorder to enable our AFIA to go ahead in a different way. It was good to watch the film seeing those on holiday enjoying lots of supervised outdoor activities. It gave us a picture of the holiday breaks that will be offered.

You can find out more abouut ReNew North East here

2025 January- March Events

Amble MU Branch celebrate World Day of Prayer at St Cuthberts Church The focus was the Cook islandsand the theme was 'I Made You Wonderful'from Psalm 139:14, serves a beautiful reminder of God's creative work in each of usand His love for diversity


On Saturday 8th March chaplain Anne and Derek represented MU at an Iftar at Newcastle Cathedral. They were invited by Ismail, a Muslim who attends their church as a representative of the Dialogue Society. Their table included representatives from the Turkish and Bangladeshi societies, also the Quakers, Northumbria Police, and Helen - the Reader at the Cathedral who helped to organise the event. The Iftar is the sundown meal which breaks the fast during Ramadan and is usually shared with friends. Delicious Turkish food accompanied many interesting conversations and presentations, including Turkish dance by two young boys.’


Surprise MU Connections
	Dorothy Walker from Chapel House branch has been collecting items for hospital emergency bags. In ASDA she asked to meet the store ‘champion’, Donna Robinson, to enquire about a reduction for the purchases. Donna turns out to be a member of MU in Gateshead and was delighted to offer help. The store has given Dorothy £40 worth of goods for the hospital bags. Donna is to be ordained deacon at Durham Cathedral in summer – so our prayers are with her. She is keen to come and talk to branches about her work and ministry.
Holy Nativity MU
This is Sheila Robson one of our Indoor Members. We were able to bring her to our meeting to celebrate her 90th birthday. Rev Anne Marr took our meeting and talked to us about the Book of Ruth. Everyone enjoyed the afternoon.
Hospital Bags
	Some MU branches in Newcastle have begun to supply emergency hospital bags directly to the emergency departments at the RVI as well as to the chaplaincy. Here is their response. “Many thanks for the ‘brilliant’ emergency toiletries bags – this is such a great service to our patients.” Please Note: MU branches across the diocese have for many years been supplying hospital emergency bags to various hospitals throughout the region. This service continues and is very much appreciated by all the hospitals concerned, including the Newcastle Hospitals Trust (Freeman and RVI). A branch in East Deanery continues a long tradition to supply bags to the Chaplaincy at the Freeman Hospital. For many years branches in West Newcastle deanery also supplied bags to Newcastle General and the RVI; they have recently renewed this commitment and are supplying bags to the RVI. The photograph and caption in the newsletter simply reports the renewal of this service. It also records the chaplaincy appreciation of everyone in MU involved in supplying bags.

Mothering Sunday

Mothering Sunday is a day to celebrate Something Wonderful – the motherly love of God in our lives. Mother church is called to be the hands and feet and voice of Christ in the world – be it by tending the sick, feeding the hungry, welcoming the weary or befriending the stranger. Mary Sumner prayed to touch as many lives as possible with God’s love. So in Benwell and Scotswood we celebrated with a symbolic gift of 40 lunch plates – to support the spirit of mothering in making ‘Something Wonderful’ in the community.

Here is Leahan Garratt of Benwell and Scotswood MU, Shirley Irving, an Anna Chaplain and catering volunteer, and Revd Chris Minchin – with one of 4 boxes of plates ready for service. Looking on were 70 very smiling hungry faces!

Internet Branch

Christmas food First Internet Branch

For the fourth year running the First Internet Branch provided a complete Christmas Day Menu of food for the families at Harbour Refuge. We were supported financially by member from Ponteland and St Columba`s branches plus donations from many who are not MU members but wanted to help with the project which they felt was so worthwhile.

This year for the first time we supplied both Harbour Refuges, North Tyneside as usual, but also, by request, the Northumberland Refuge too. This meant that we actually provided food for 26 family units in total.


Friends and members ready to fill the bags	Bags ready to be delivered to the Refuges	Each bag contained a complete Christmas Day menu

Commissioning

Happy New Triennial – as we journey on together with Mothers’ Union members world-wide into our current 3-year commitment, during which we shall be celebrating 150 years since Mary Sumner founded Mothers Union.
Our Commissioning Service for this triennium was held in Newcastle Cathedral on 25th January, by invitation of the Dean, the Very Reverend Lee Batson, and attended by our newly appointed Provincial President, Christine Sharp.
And what a wonderful commissioning service it was. Our choir were in tuneful accord; Margy re-told a story from Acts; our banner was lifted high by Malcom Cairns; images of all the other MU banners were projected onto two screens; Dean Lee Batson preached and he commissioned all the officers and trustees; and Catherine Groves, archdeacon of Lindisfarne, presided. (Catherine had become a grandmother the day before so the event was extra special for her; she promised to become a member in celebration of the event.)
A number of visitors to the Cathedral joined in the worship and engaged in conversation; the café was full of Mothers’ Union members; and by no means least – we remembered all those who never made it despite their good intentions, many of them prevented by bad weather and unexpected, restricted rail and bus transport. Our new Provincial President, Christine Sharpe, was delighted with everything.
A big thank you from MU goes to all involved in the planning and events of the day – including the amazing team of vergers who set all the chairs and managed the magic technology. All that remains is for us to go forward in faith into whatever circumstances life leads us, rejoicing in 150 years of Mothers’ Union world-wide, and to spread the good news of God’s love in the words we speak, the prayers we breathe and the lives we live.