Police and Crime Commissioner for Staffordshire, Matthew Ellis, spoke to 700 Womens Institute (WI) members at the County Showground today.
With participants from all over Staffordshire, Mr Ellis discussed his role as PCC and his future visions for policing, before answering questions.
The county’s federation stretches from Staffordshire Moorlands in the north to Lichfield in the south. There are 136 WI’s across Staffordshire with over 4,700 members, who get involved with different events and participate in activities, including cooking and sports.
The national WI was formed in 1915 to revitalise rural communities and encourage women to become more involved in producing food during the First World War. The WI is now the largest voluntary women’s organisation in the UK and will celebrate its centenary next year.
National campaigns include the ‘Care Not Custody campaign’, where the WI passed a resolution calling for an end to inappropriate detention of people with mental health needs. In Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Mr Ellis has instigated work to make sure that mentally ill people are given access to suitable places of safety rather than being locked up in police cells.
Mr Ellis said: “I spoke to over 700 people from the Staffordshire Womens Institute today. Good gracious me, if anything was the fabric of society and community at its best, in this country, that was it.
“There was good debate and a good talk, I am delighted with the response that I’ve had from them”.
Denise Moreton, County Chairman for Staffordshire WI, said: “We’ve really enjoyed having Matthew Ellis with us this morning. He’s an excellent speaker and discussed an interesting subject.
“I’m very pleased he’s willing and able to go to the small Women’s Institutes to speak to them as well”
For more information about the Staffordshire women’s institute call 01785 223838 or email info@sfwi.org.
