Press Releases
Irish Trauma Response Specialist to address International Mothers’ Union Assembly in Dublin
Dr Marion Gibson, a world-renowned specialist helping medical staff and social workers deal with traumatic incidents, is the keynote speaker at the annual assembly of the Mothers? Union (MU), to be held in Dublin on 24th June.
Dr Gibson, who has been invited to give consultations following many major incidents in recent years including Omagh, 9/11, the London bombings last July, and the Tsunami in South Asia, will address over 1,200 members of the Mothers? Union at the National Concert Hall.
Herself a keen MU member for 45 years, Dr Gibson is all too aware that this is an organisation of enthusiastic, highly motivated volunteers representing over 3.6 million MU members worldwide. Many of them are involved in grass-roots level community projects working alongside families in adversity, children visiting non-resident parents, prison work and, internationally in projects alleviating discrimination against women, community health issues such as HIV/AIDS or malaria and literacy programmes.
Hosts for the event, the Mothers? Union Ireland, themselves undertake around 150 projects in prisons, parenting groups, marriage support and supporting under-privileged children throughout the Church of Ireland, both in the North and in the Republic. In addition, members in Ireland support Relief and Development work all around the world through fundraising and other activities.
Lesley Sandes, from the Cashel and Ossory Diocese, is just one member of the MU who will be sharing her unique story. For the past four years she and fellow MU members have been running the Supporting Children and Families affected by Imprisonment Project. ?Visiting prison, especially for the first time, is so traumatic for young children? she said, ?we have established a child friendly environment, where children can meet their parent. We provide children?s furniture, toys and books and are just around to support the children and their families should they need us.? Over 500 children or more use the facility each year, and as a result MU members have now been invited to meet inmates on a regular basis. ?Dr Gibson?s insight into trauma will really help me to relate in a special way to these children, and understand how to handle the emotional effect on myself? she went on.
As they meet to celebrate 130 years of Christian care for families, MU members will reflect on how each of them, like Lesley, has an exceptional story to tell of the way they work within their community in 77 countries of the world to promote stable family life. This is the key to the Mothers? Union?s success, its constant evolving to provide not only fellowship, but relevant projects meeting 21st century needs at a grass-roots level.
Media Contact:
Ms Fiona Thomas,
Communications Officer,
The Mothers' Union
+44 (0)20 7222 5533 or +44 (0)777 2398199
Ms Sarah Williams,
Press Officer,
The Church of Ireland
+44 (0)28 90232909 mobile +44 (0)7787 881582
Website: http://www.themothersunion.org/
Notes:
The Mothers? Union is a worldwide charity with 3.6 million members dedicated to promoting marriage and family life. It realises that the wellbeing of the family cannot be separated from the welfare of wider communities and therefore undertakes groundbreaking community work in 77 countries. Globally, thousands of members have benefited from the MU?s literacy and development programme and its involvement in the Jubilee Debt Campaign and Make Poverty History.
Mothers? Union Ireland began in 1887, and today there are 385 branches throughout the 12 dioceses of the Church of Ireland, with 10,500 members. Throughout Ireland Mothers? Union members bring a variety of practical help and support to their community through marriage preparation, parenting courses, parent and toddler groups and other community outreach projects. During 2005 members in Ireland donated ?202,000 (£135,000) to the worldwide work of MU through the Overseas and Relief World Wide Grants funds.