Very early on Saturday 22nd June, 3 of us from Dilton and 2 from Westbury Mothers’ Union caught a train to Oxford via Swindon and Didcot. We walked by the canal to the venue, signed in, received name badges and a welcome cup of coffee before the meeting began.

We were welcomed by Jenny Searle for Oxford and Kathryn Anderson, Provincial President and opening prayers were said by Rev. Mary Harwood, Oxford Diocesan MU Chaplain.

The first presentation was from South East Cluster who have a ministry of cake in hospitals (everything seems better with cake!)

They also produce backpacks for children in foster care, help with English for women asylum seekers, and dementia connections for seniors.

We then had Hymns we love by Pippa and Steve Cramer who, later on were enrolled as members of Mothers’ Union.

Next was a presentation by Anglia Cluster. They do tea and toast for students, the soul of our shoes on domestic abuse, help with furnishing homes for refugees and producing prayer leaflets and cards for bereavements for HMP Southwell.

We then had Midday Eucharist Service and enrolment of the new members, Pippa and Steve Cramer.

Lunch then followed and we were able to visit the stalls and exibitions by the various clusters.

The next presentation was from the South West Cluster. Bristol do coach trips for their AFIA as also do Winchester and Portsmouth for people from refuges.

Bristol has the blonde angels as street support for the homeless and gives out Greggs vouchers.

Salisbury has the babies which go into many schools now. There is also the caravan for holidays.

Gloucester does open the book, sends cards to prisoners, helps with crafts sessions for older inmates at women’s prisons and provides rucksacks with useful items on their release.

Next was the Midlands Cluster which uses a game to explain the message for the Mothers’ union.

We then had a comedian, Andy Kind who is a committed christian so there was no bad language or any of the unpleasant humour usual these days and he was very entertaining.

Kathryn Anderson wound up the proceedings with closing prayers by Rev. Lady Denise Brown.

We then had to retrace our steps to the train station, fortunately we did not have long to wait as we could not even get a cup of tea as all the refreshment places were closed. After the two changes of train we finally arrived at Westbury at 8.30pm. It was a long day but very interesting to hear about all the many ways that the Mothers’ Union is making a difference in their areas.