The WI is the largest voluntary women’s organisation in the UK with more than 212,000 members in 6,600 WIs.  The organisation plays a unique role in enabling women to develop new skills, giving them opportunities to campaign on issues that matter to them and their communities.

Every year the WI offers its members the opportunity to help set the direction of the National Federation from the grassroots up. Members put forward current issues as resolutions which the entire membership vote on.

Previous campaign include organ donation, calling for more midwives and closure of libraries. All these issues affect each of us in some way and the WI has a proud history of supporting causes close to its memberships’ hearts.

The WI even undertakes its own research. For example a report in conjunction with the NCT, Support Overdue, reported on the maternity experiences of 5,500 women and identified that as many as 60% of women want more postnatal support.  Women spoke of feeling ‘like a burden’ and described visits and appointments with rushed midwives who had ‘their resources clearly stretched.’  At a time when the NHS is rarely out of the media and Salford is experiencing a ‘baby boom’ of its own, research like this essential to ensure that people have the support they need.

WI members have campaigned for organ donation as far back as 1952, and asked for the Organ Donor Register to be set up in 1972 so that resolution followed a long history of highlighting the importance of organ donation and of ensuring that organ donors’ wishes are known. The UK’s organ donation consent rate is amongst the lowest in Europe, yet while only 30% of the UK population is on the Register, over 80% of people say they are willing to donate organs or consider donating after their death.

This year Salford Angels members voted on seven shortlisted issues for 2015. Curbing use of anti-biotics, ending FGM, ending gender discrimination, tree planting, increased access to defibrillators, reassessment of long term care and cutting back on food waste.

Anyone who remembers the slow hand clapping of Tony Blair knows we are a Force to be Reckoned with and is this our 100th year, we’re sure 2015 will be no different!

Salford Angels WI meet on the third Thursday of the month at 6.30 at St Thomas’s Church Pendleton.