UNITED CHURCH WOMEN (UCW)

UCW 2025 REPORT

UCW has been busy in 2025.

As in the past, we continue to give financial support to the following nine charities.

ELUCO, Camp Kee-Mo-Kee, Mission Services of London, St. Paul’s Daily Bread, London Food Bank, My Sisters’ Place, London Community Chaplaincy, Northwest Resources and Youth Opportunities Unlimited. Starting two years ago, we increased our support to those agencies that address the basic needs of food and housing insecurity.

In addition to our normal contribution of $5,000.00 to the general fund and $3,000.00 to Mission and Service we plan on contributing an additional $5,000.00 to the general fund at year’s end.

During 2025 we have made beef pies on a couple of occasions. This, in a small way, replaces our famous turkey pies.

On Sunday February 9th it was a joy to see Riverside members enjoying breakfast together. A church filled with the smell of bacon and pancakes is a wonderful thing.

Wednesday April 30th, we hosted the Middlesex U.C.W. Annual General Meeting. Our dynamic guest speaker was Sarah Campbell, executive director of Ark Aid. We were blessed to have Rev. Christina Paradela, on her last day, lead worship and communion.

Along with M6:8, we held a general meeting in May where we screened the award-winning film “Atrocity”.

It was followed with a talkback with Sarah Campbell of Ark Aid, Nigel Stuckey, retired London Police staff sergeant and the film’s creator, city counsellor Susan Stevenson and Laura Lee Collins who appears in the film. This film helps to explain the complexity of the housing crisis.

To usher in summer, we had an evening of strawberries, ice cream and great company.

We have just finished making more than 400 apple pies and every one of them is spoken for. Thank you all for your support.

Throughout the year, we have arranged receptions when celebrating the life of a Riverside member who is no longer with us.

We have every intention of remaining a vital, active part of the Riverside community in 2026.