Women in the Northampton England Stake celebrated Relief Society’s 184th anniversary with a day of dedication and service.
On Saturday, March 14th, women gathered at the stake center for a breakfast meeting. Later, they watched together broadcasts of Relief Society dedications from around the world. Stake communications specialist Debbie Twigger said the women said afterward that they felt the meeting was relevant to their lives and spiritually moving.
This was followed by a service project in the cultural hall by each ward Relief Society in the stake, which is partnering with local charities this year.
Helen Freeman, stake Relief Society president, said that in planning the day, she was guided by what Relief Society leaders have taught about its purpose from the beginning: to alleviate suffering and save souls.
“We wanted to bring that to our local community by providing this service to local charities,” Freeman said. “These service projects help sisters grow closer to each other as they learn new skills and feel the love of the Savior. Service softens the heart, helps us look outward, and helps lighten our own burdens.”
Freeman said each ward in the stake chose its own projects depending on its needs and circumstances, with an emphasis on making service a joy rather than a burden.
Northampton Borough Relief Society President Louise King said her Relief Society chose Sands Charity for grieving parents of stillbirths. The women use their knitting and crocheting skills to make baby blankets and learn from each other.
“More experienced sisters are helping those less experienced, and many young people are helping out and inviting their friends to the activity. This is a very social project where sisters can bond and learn new skills,” she said. “We feel that by building unity and helping the community, we are spreading the love of Christ.”
Councilor Sharon Adcock, President of Kettering Borough Relief Society, said: “The women were happy to work together to make a difference to the lives of parents and young children. We are delighted to be able to support the Northamptonshire community in this way by working with Baby Basics Northampton.”
The Northampton England Stake Center and Kettering Ward Meeting House has also been the public donation center for Northampton Baby Basics for the past three and a half years, with weekly items donated and collected by the charity and distributed to local mothers in need, including those referred to the charity by social services.
Service projects throughout the year and service projects on Saturday, March 14 included:
Donating food and goods to the Northampton Ukrainian Society Donating baby clothes, toiletries and bedding to local mums, including refugees, through Baby Basics Northampton Handmade blankets made for Sands, a charity for families of stillborn babies Milton writes letters and cards to unaccompanied residents at Hinchingbrooke Hospital Donating personal items to menstruating girls through a girl who makes knitted love hearts for babies in the neonatal ward at Keenes Hospital A local charity called Love plans to create care packages for dementia patients at Northampton General Hospital, making knitted products called fiddle muffs with sensory items such as buttons, ties and buckles. Donate Easter eggs to “in a Bag”
These service projects continue throughout the year, so you can donate multiple times.
caring for women and children
All of these service projects in the Northampton Stake are connected to Relief Society’s global efforts for women and children, also known as Care for Women and Children.
These initiatives aim to find ways to focus on the areas of child nutrition, maternal and newborn care, immunization and education, both locally and globally. Women are encouraged to find ways to serve women and children in their communities.
said Camille N. Johnson, Relief Society general president. “Whenever we do something to bring salvation, whether temporal or spiritual, to others, we are bringing them the love of Jesus Christ, and we will be blessed to find our own salvation in Jesus Christ.”
See more photos below.
