Projects within the Diocese
The Mothers’ Union here in Sheffield support several long term projects throughout the Diocese. A brief description of our work can be found below.
AFIA and the Overseas Funds are the only MU projects run and funded by its members, AFIA through Deanery and Branch fund raising and Overseas from the General Fund, all the other projects we support such as Clewer, Cart, Women’s Refuges etc. are not organised or run by the MU they are independently run by other charities or organisations and have many outside supporters. AFIA has no other supporters than MU and relies solely on Branch & Deanery funding to work. Please do what you can as soon as you can, without your support the project cannot exist.
You can read about the work we do with AFIA here
Women’s Refuges
We support 5 Women’s Refuges across our Diocese. 2 in Sheffield, one in each of the major towns-Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham.
Each Refuge has a close Sheffield MU contact and they are in regular contact with the refuge and If there is an urgent need one of the staff will telephone the contact and she will send out a plea and members respond to their requests for help.
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| Moving on baskets courtesy of Bradfield MU | Easter eggs, books and Easter craft items courtesy of Ecc & Att deanery | Doncaster Refuge Children's Worker collected items donated by IKEA, |
Survivors of Domestic Abuse are courageously rebuilding their lives, day by day; their first step forward is probably into a safe refuge, so that is where our support helps them to face the challenge.
Barnsley
Each of the branches in Tankersley Deanery are responsible for a month when the members collect for the residents., We supply kitchen disposables (washing powder, bleach, softener, washing up liquid etc), We also provide paints and craft materials, paper and craft kits for the play room. We give dressing up clothes for role ply (doctors nurses, policeman, fireman etc) the children gave a fashion parade for parents during half term. Outside toys and a bubble making machine also gave a lot of fun.
At Christmas we gave Advent calendars for the children and small gifts of chocolate for the mums.
Doncaster
Members regularly provide ‘Fresh Start baskets’ for women moving on from their stay at the refuge. At Christmas we provide each one with toiletries, food hampers and gifts.
Rotherham
Rotherham Women’s Refuge continues to be supported with gifts of basic foodstuffs & toiletries for use when they first arrive often with nothing. They have also been given “real” Advent calendars, Christmas gifts & Easter eggs.
Sheffield
Sheffield has 2 units- one in the South East of the city and one on the west side.
Again members support these by providing Toiletries and the Moving Along Baskets to each Refuge. We have also given plants ( at their request) Christmas Gifts for the women and Advent calendars, Easter Eggs, outdoor toys and hats and gloves for the children.
CHRSTIAN AFRICAN RELIEF TRUST CART Read More
Download a list of Current CART requirements
Read about Nursery building in Malawi
Christian African Relief Trust is a Christian organisation based in Huddersfield who send out crates to Africa with much needed aid. Our members love to knit blankets and jumpers for Africans. We collect items such as computers, spectacles, bicycles, old hand tools that can be sent to Africa CART also has a shop which sells second hand items to pay for the high shipping costs of the crates.
Prison Play Area
Sheffield MU has links with HMP Moorland Prison and unfortunately have not been able to help in the Prison Play Area due to Covid regulations. PACT ( Prison Advice and Care Trust) are now involved and encourage dads to play with their children under supervision.
Sheffield MU send Christmas cards to each prisoner every year and in 2021 members made Christmas decorations for the inmates to give to their family at Christmas.
Our Contact is Issy Mears, 01302 570431 or e mail
Let us be the ones ‘To promote conditions in society favourable to stable family life and the protection of children.’
Bye Buy Childhood
“Your children only get one childhood, make it memorable.”
