Welcome to our monthly newsletter for May.

May is a great time to look towards the future as we see new flowers appearing and the promise of summer. As we all look forwards together we have two launches this month our 2012 Wheels Appeal and the new Families First website. Read on to find out more.

Both the feast of Ascension and Pentecost fall in the month of May and again these give us a chance to start afresh and pray with the Holy Spirit. See our seasonals prayers for ideas.

Wheels Appeal 2012

We're excited to be launching our 2012 Wheels Appeal this month. Now in its 3rd Year this appeal has raised over £68,000 so far, which has gone towards travel grants so our Community Development Coordinators can access isolated families and communities to offer training and advice. With the Olympics and the Diamond Jubilee this summer there's never been a better time to have a themed afternoon tea, bake sale or street party. See the Wheels Appeal page for more information and to download posters and other materials which will help make your event a success. If you would like to receive this information through the post please don't hesitate to contact us.

You've made a mother's day

This year you, our members and supporters, have helped to make our Make a Mother's Day fundraising campaign a real success. Lives were changed throughout the world as we gave thanks to our wonderful mums by buying ethical gifts to support other mothers instead of flowers or a box of chocolates on Mothering Sunday. Many gave gifts in memory of their mothers which formed a display of cards in the Mary Sumner House Chapel. You have raised over £140,000 which will go to vital projects in the United Kingdom and Ireland, as well as globally. Thank you.

Online Child Protection and the Bye Buy Childhood campaign

Mothers' Union welcomed the final report of the cross-party Parliamentary Inquiry into Online Child Protection which was published last month. The Inquiry makes eight main recommendations to help protect children from inappropriate content online, including a formal review by Government of an opt-in system to access adult material on the internet, and called on Government to press for an accelerated implementation timetable for Active Choice. For full details of the inquiry visit the Bye Buy Childhood campaign website.

New Families First website

Visit the new look Families First website and join the fast growing online community. Editor Tola Fisher said "We know that communication with our readers six times a year is not enough, so we wanted to do something about it." You can use the new website to read and comment on popular articles from previous issues and download and listen to Families First podcasts.

General Meeting Update

This year our annual general meeting sold out in record time and because of this we are offering another option for those who missed out on tickets.  A video relay of the event will be shown in another hall within the venue so that people can join in with the day. The meeting will be held in Llandudno at Venue Cymru on 16th June. You can purchase tickets for this from the venue website or call the box office direct on 01492 872000.

Midday Prayers and Wave of Prayer

Faith and Policy Watch