The WI remains a steady force in local communities.

Founded in 1915, the Women's Institute now has more than 6,000 branches and has campaigned on issues from environmental protection to health and social justice.

My mum used to go to WI meetings on Monday evenings at the community centre across the road. She took materials for crafting and enjoyed quiz nights, trips, guest speakers and community events. She helped found Idle Women's Institute after moving to Bradford. The WI began in 1915 to involve women in food production and now mixes social activities with national campaigning. Notable facts: - The first UK WI met in a village hall in Anglesey in 1915, and the organisation now has more than 6,000 branches, as reported. - The WI has lobbied and campaigned on issues including mental health, female genital mutilation, prostitution, poverty, equal pay, homelessness, pollution and modern slavery. - In 1954 the WI's campaign to protect the countryside contributed to the Keep Britain Tidy movement, and since the 1960s it has raised concerns about plastic packaging and its effects on livestock, wildlife and beaches. - The NFWI was an early public educator on HIV and AIDS in the 1980s, helped found the Fairtrade Foundation in 1992, and members of Rylstone and District WI inspired the Calendar Girls fundraiser in 1999, which raised millions for charity. - Newer branches such as the Shoreditch Sisters and local groups like the Baildon Belles have attracted younger women in recent years. Summary: The WI's mix of social events and sustained campaigning has influenced public life and environmental conversation in the UK. Undetermined at this time.