Meeting Reports: December Meeting: Christmas Party Our party this year was well attended and we were pleased to welcome special guests, Rev. James Reverly, Vicar of St Andrew's Church Bedford and Chaplain of the Mother’s Union, and two of his parishioners, Edna and John Stringer. We were also joined by Father Mac, Rev. Lionel Albon and some of the members' husbands. Our favorite carols were sung with enthusiasm and accompanied by the Rev. Paolo on guitar and Colin Scott on the accordion. A lively afternoon ended with a delicious tea of sandwiches, cakes, mince pies and an assortment of other goodies supplied by the members. November Meeting: Challenges facing Disabled children in Nepal Kathy Lally and her husband made a volunteering -visit to the Disabled New Life Centre in Nepal a few years ago. This came about after a chance meeting with the supporters of the Nepali Children's Trust, which is a charity- set up in Bristol in 2005 by a lady called Fran -McGowan. She had visited Nepal in 2002 and was appalled be the lack of facilities available to disabled children there. So she resolved to raise funds to buy land on the outskirts of Kathmandu for the construction of a purpose-built home to provide children with disabilities facilities for their long term care. The home was completed in 2011 and the children moved into a new, spacious building. Nepal is a small, land-locked country which, after a civil war, became a federal republic in 2008. Most of the population is confined to the poorer, country areas, therefore a certain amount of inbreeding is inevitable and consequently deformities are widespread among the children, who are often shunned by Nepalese society.  Much is being done by charities large and small, helping with education and health, and the aim is to enable young people of Nepal up to the age of 25 who have a disability-, whether mental or physical, to become independent, to overcome discrimination and to be valued within their families and communities.

Contacting the Mothers' Union

The Ouse Valley Deanery Group of the Mothers' Union extends a warm welcome to members and non- members alike. If you would like information about joining the group or future meetings, please contact Hazel Scott on 01234 781 559 or Jackie Biggs on 01234 782 517.