Mothers’ Union still making its mark, 150 years on

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By Ultan Russell, Archdiocesan ecumenical officer

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In March, many of us celebrated International Women’s Day and the World Day of Prayer. Therefore, it feels apt to share here the work of the Mothers’ Union, which is the largest women’s organisation in the world with over four million members. Its aims are as follows:

• Strengthen communities all over the world
• Help the most disadvantaged at home
• Shape how we advocate for the rights of families
• Build supportive, loving relationships
• Develop our own relationship with God.

The Mothers’ Union in the Church of England’s diocese of Liverpool covers the bulk of our archdiocese. There are also strong and vibrant diocesan branches in those areas of the archdiocese which are within the Anglican dioceses of Blackburn, Manchester and Sodor & Man. The Liverpool Mothers’ Union has 65 branches and over 1,500 members, as well as diocesan members who are not attached to a branch, and ‘indoor’ members who are unable to attend meetings but stay connected and pray for the work undertaken.

The Mothers’ Union celebrates its 150th anniversary this year. It was founded by a vicar’s wife, Mary Sumner, who never would have believed that it would extend to 84 countries, as is the case today. It has become a key influence in promoting family life, women’s rights, and women’s opportunities for work and education.
Mothers’ Union groups meet regularly, their agenda including prayer, worship, action, and fun. They explore and support projects across the diocese and beyond. To quote a common Mothers’ Union mantra, their work is ‘around the corner and around the world’. 

The Mothers’ Union has a long history of working with the Union of Catholic Mothers, Jewish women’s organisations, and secular bodies. In addition, at international level it participates in the work of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, as does the World Union of Catholic Women’s Organisations. It is now open to women and men of any denomination.

Branches support a range of initiatives, including:
• AFIA (‘Away From It All’) – as a diocese, it provides much-needed holidays, weekends away, or days out for families of all ages, shapes and sizes.
• Providing emergency toilet bags for local hospitals and the homeless, and colouring books etc. for use on children’s hospital wards.
• Members-run toddler groups, ‘Messy Church’ sessions, baptismal support, and wedding preparation sessions.
• Knitting/sewing is a popular pastime for our members, providing angel pockets for babies and knitted baby hats, baby blankets and comfort squares for the local premature baby units.
• Prayer shawls for anyone in need, which are sometimes presented to a new bride or at a baptism.
• Welcome bags for university students.
• Linking with prison chaplains to support prisoners.

One major and innovative initiative is the ‘RISE UP’ campaign to raise awareness of domestic abuse across Britain and Ireland. The acronym stands for Respond, Inform, Support, Empower, Unite and Pray. It is the goal of the Mothers’ Union that members and churches work together to help drive change and combat domestic abuse. In October 2025, the Liverpool Diocesan Mothers’ Union held a well-attended event at Liverpool Cathedral on modern slavery. The next month there was a Eucharist and reflection during the Sixteen Days of Activism Against Gender Violence. More recently, Liverpool’s Mothers’ Union was featured in this year’s Mothering Sunday edition of the BBC’s Songs of Praise.

The picture shows the All Saints Rainford branch, one of the strongest in the country, at the Anglican Cathedral Service that was filmed for Songs of Praise, and it was taken by branch member Tony Foster. Bishop Ruth Worsley is pictured with Caroline Collins, the diocesan president, on her right.

Mary Sumner, the abovementioned founder of the Mothers’ Union, wrote the following prayer in 1876:
‘All this day, O Lord, 
let me touch as many lives as possible for thee; 
and every life I touch, 
do thou by thy spirit quicken, 
whether through the word I speak, 
the prayer I breathe, 
or the life I live.’