Meeting Reports:
January 2019 Meeting: Care in Bedfordshire.
It was interesting to learn from Jenny Harris that many people, including children from the age of four upwards, care for their long-term sick relatives and how the organisation, Care in Bedfordshire, helps carers in a number of ways, including respite, to cope with this often difficult and exhausting job. Also, parties of children who are carers are taken to festivals where they can enjoy themselves like normal children for a few days. There is a carers' room in Bedford Hospital opposite the All Faiths Room and also a room in the Luton and Dunstable Hospital where carers can go for a cup of tea and a chat if they are visiting their relative, or bringing them for treatment. In order to continue functioning they need to raise £120,000 a year and, although they are helped by organisations like the Lions Club and Rotary, they need to spread the word as widely as possible. This largely voluntary organisation operates in the main towns of Mid -Bedfordshire and is hoping to be able to include Luton in the future. It is good to know that carers as well as those they are caring for can have the support they need. If anyone who is a carer would like to register there is a wcbsite: www.carersinbedfordshire.org.uk and a telephone number: 0300 111 1919 Our next meeting will be on 14th., February at 2.30 where we will discuss things relating to Valentine's Day - e.g. `where you met your husband', or poems, prayers, readings, etc, brought along by members. November 2018 Meeting: Holy Land Trip (February 2018) At our November meeting Brenda Cottle from Harpenden gave us an interesting and enthusiastic talk on their I holy Land Trip, led by Embrace Charity, when a party of 30 - half St. John's, half St. Peter & St Paul, Deddington, Oxford diocese, with the Revd. Annie Goldthorp - toured the Holy Land. The first day the party visited Bethlehem Arab Society Rehabilitation hospital to see work done to help victims of the fighting, and there they walked through a physio ward where they could see the views and the dividing wall. The Church of the Nativity built on the spot where, according to legend, Jesus was born in a stable or cave is now undergoing complete renovation. It is a beautiful church of Greek/Russian Orthodox influence with wall paintings still being uncovered. Friday 9th. February was tree -planting day when the party helped to plant 450 olive trees. If the Palestinians don't keep a piece of ground on their side of the wall planted, then the Israelis will take possession of it, hence the need to plant the trees. They learned from a Palestinian husband and wife, both teachers, just how difficult everyday life in Palestine can be. Water is only supplied twice a month, with water containers on the roof, and washing done only when the water is turned on. Electricity is cut off at random by the Israeli authorities. Life is hard, but the Palestinians are determined to stay in their country so somehow, they manage. Next stop was Nazareth, the Church of the Beatitudes, the place of the Sermon on the Mount and a boat trip to where they took Communion by the Sea of Galilee. As well as seeing many important sites in the area, the party gained a very good insight into the lives of the Palestinian people, and the constant pressures they arc under from a situation which has, unfortunately, been impossible to solve for so many years.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.
