Mum's still the word for members of the Mothers' Union who voted overwhelmingly in favour of retaining the organisation's 122-year-old name at the York meeting of the Worldwide Council.

Overseas presidents sang in the aisles of the Central Hall at the University of York yesterday as worldwide president Christine Eames delivered the result of the ballot.

The city's own president, Stella Vernon, wiped away the tears as 'We love the Mothers' Union' echoed throughout the room.

"I'm highly delighted. It was such a good debate and it's definitely gone the right way," she said.

"It was exactly what we'd hoped for."

The debate, which came on the third day of the York-based council - held only every 10 years - was prompted by British members who revealed they were tired of the organisation's out-dated image. But claims that the Mothers' Union would split if the name was not changed and was a 'source of amusement and hostility' because of its 'exclusive' name were booed from the stage at the debate.

Past central president Rachel Nugee, speaking at the council, said refusal to accept the name was 'an excuse'.

"People who don't want to join look for an excuse not to join. And the name is a very handy excuse," she said.

The group, started by vicar's wife Mary Sumner in 1876, is struggling to redefine itself and numbers are rapidly dwindling year-on-year in Britain.

However in many countries overseas, supporting the mother of the family is considered a valuable and necessary mission, and the name Mothers' Union embodies that, said Helene Prosper of the Seychelles.

"There is nothing to be ashamed of in being called a mother," she said.

"If men want to join the Mothers' Union, they can still do so. We believe that in a Christian marriage a family cannot be complete without a father.

"Joining the Mothers' Union (as a man) is just like marrying someone - you take their name."

Members of the council, who today gather at York Minster for a celebratory service to be presided over by the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Archbishop of York, also voted in favour of allowing individual provinces of the Mothers' Union to adopt an amended name for use within their province.

see COMMENT 'Mothers - and still proud of it'

see WOMEN 'Mothers of the world unite'

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