Founded in 1876 by Mary Sumner in Old Alresford, the Mothers’ Union was created to support women of all backgrounds in raising their children in faith, and August 9 is now marked across the Anglican Communion as Mary Sumner Day. One long‑standing member, Jan Whinn, told how she has been involved for 40 years and remembers being welcomed as part of the so‑called “tea towel brigade”, shorthand for the way the Mothers’ Union was once seen as simply doing the church washing‑up. They also support projects in prisons and with homeless people, while nationally the Mothers’ Union runs programmes on parenting, modern slavery, literacy and financial education. Members say they are “very heavily into” this work and have already achieved silver recognition for their efforts. A retired consultant paediatrician, Dr Lee grew up in Uganda where her mother served as Mothers’ Union president, and she was later appointed Carlisle Diocese Mothers’ Union president before becoming a zonal trustee for the Province of York.