The Church of Ireland Diocese of Connor

• News Archives
• May 2024
• April 2024
• March 2024
• February 2024
• January 2024
• December 2023
• November 2023
• October 2023
• September 2023

Sally takes up role of Mothers’ Union Diocesan President

Wednesday January 2nd 2019

Connor Mothers’ Union Diocesan President Mrs Sally Cotter.

Mrs Sally Cotter has taken up her new role of Diocesan President of Connor Mothers’ Union.

Sally succeeds Mrs Valerie Ash, and will be commissioned at the Connor Mothers’ Union Festival Service in April.

A former primary school teacher, Sally has been a member of Mothers’ Union since 1989, and has held posts at all levels.

Her first branch was St Nicholas, Carrickfergus, where she was branch young members rep; area education rep. She was on the Prayer and Spirituality Unit and in 1996 was appointed Diocesan Marketing Co-ordinator.

In 2001 Sally became All-Ireland Marketing Co-ordinator and in 2007 was appointed to the Marketing Unit Committee at Mothers’ Union headquarters in Mary Sumner House.

She was Diocesan Worldwide rep from 2007-2013, and since 2013 has been Vice-President of Fundraising and Communications in Connor Diocese.

Sally joined the Broughshane branch of Mothers’ Union in 2010, when her husband, the Rev Dr Bob Cotter, became curate in the parish of Skerry Rathcavan and Newtowncrommlin, Broughshane.

A native of Dollingstown, near Lurgan, Sally met Bob when they were both singing with the St Anne’s Cathedral (Belfast) Evening Choir in 1979.

Singing is not Sally’s only musical talent. She was organist in First Lurgan Presbyterian Church for five years and in Holy Trinity Parish Church, Woodburn, for 13 years. She currently plays in Donegore Parish, and has been a church organist for 30 years!

She ran a Mothers’ Union choir in Carrickfergus for 21 years. Named ‘Sally’s Singers,’ the choir sang all over Ireland, north and south, and raised money for charity.

Sally has been a trustee of Carrickfergus Home Start for 20 years, an organisation she says has aims closely linked to Mothers’ Union, namely helping families and children. She has also been a Sunday School Superintendent and a Girls’ Brigade Officer.

Sally taught in King’s Park Primary School in Newtownabbey for 31 years before taking early retirement. She and Bob have one son, Christopher.

Speaking in the Autumn edition of Connor Connections, Sally said: “I am looking forward to the challenge of this new role. I would like to get new members involved and keep all members up to date with our project work.

“I am keen to raise the profile of Mothers’ Union. We are blamed for being tea makers but this organisation is so much more than that.”

Back to latest news