Photo Credit: Mothers' Union
Worldwide president of Mothers’ Union, Kathleen Snow, has taken on a running challenge to mark the charity’s 150th Anniversary. During 2026, she’s running 15 10k runs, in various locations around the world, to raise funds and awareness for the work of Mothers’ Union.
Seeking to reflect a global expression of solidarity and celebration that drives the work of the Mothers’ Union, Kathleen will run in different dioceses that are involved in Mothers’ Union work. At the time of this report, she has completed three of the 15 runs, starting with an early-year winter 10k in her hometown, Fredericton, Canada (January 22), one in Bahrain (February 6) during the Diocesan Synod of Cyprus and the Gulf and most recently in the Diocese of London (February 10).
Speaking about her latest run, Kathleen shared she started and finished at the central charity headquarters for Mothers’ Union, Mary Sumner House, ‘with our dedicated staff cheering me at the finish’.
Over the coming months, Kathleen will continue the challenge with planned runs in dioceses across the UK, North America and Africa, making this a truly global expression of shared commitment and celebration of all the work the organisation embodies.
About Mothers’ Union
Mothers’ Union is an international Christian organisation with over four million members in 84 countries worldwide, committed to promoting stable family life, nurturing faith and working towards a society where everyone can thrive. It was one of the first women-led organisations, established in 1876 by Mary Sumner, the wife of a Hampshire Rector.
When it began, the organisation worked to forge strong links between Anglican churches and their communities by connecting mothers of all backgrounds to support them in raising their children. Now Mothers’ Union reaches millions of lives around the world through a ‘unique, faith-based and community-led approach to tackling poverty, injustice and violence’.
Empowering women in places of conflict
Mothers' Union is making a tangible difference in communities facing conflict, for example, in Sudan and South Sudan. Recently, Anglican churches in Salisbury and the Sudans that support one another in mission and fellowship held a webinar to share news on the humanitarian crisis in the region. The webinar also involved the Secretary General of the Anglican Communion, the Rt Revd Anthony Poggo, former Bishop of Kajo Keji, as well as key stakeholders in the ‘Salisbury Sudans Partnership’.
In the webinar, Archbishop Justin Badi Arama (Archbishop and Primate of the Province of the Episcopal Church of South Sudan & Bishop of Juba) shared how the practical and resilient work of Mothers’ Union in his setting is making all the difference. He said, ‘The Church in Sudan and South Sudan actually relies on the support of Mothers’ Union. They have the great support and the great voice because those who go to war are the husbands of Mothers’ Union [members], or they are sons or brothers.’
He described how Mothers’ Union members walked the streets of South Sudan’s capital, Juba, praying and crying for peace, and were witnesses for the entire nation. ‘It is Mothers' Union who mobilise themselves to give support while men only talk… the Mothers’ Union are always in action’, said Archbishop Justin.
This is just one example of how Mothers’ Union is supporting families in meaningful ways, even in challenging settings where conflict is a daily struggle.
Find out more about Kathleen Snow’s 150th anniversary Challenge for Mothers' Union.
Watch the recent webinar from the Salisbury Sudans Partnership and Bishop Anthony.
Read the summary of the webinar from the Diocese of Salisbury.