TEN years of WASPI activity
18th August 2025
In the next two weeks we will be commemorating TEN years of strong women campaigning. Many have given so much time and effort to achieve justice for WASPI women. We know you appreciate that, because you tell us in your thousands.
We start with a collage of campaigners. Long days, and long journeys, preparations and motivation. Planning, and lobbying, and hard work. We’d like to reflect the lives of all WASPI women. We’d love to have photos from you to show your life, your world, your WASPI. Are you a carer, are you disabled, do you provide childcare, or volunteer? What job do you do? Do you write letters to your MP? Do you tell your friends and colleagues about WASPI?
Show us a piece of your life. Please email a photo of you, doing something which speaks about YOU to waspicomms@gmail.com. It will be turned into black and white, so it doesn’t matter what colour you’re wearing or if your hair looks nice. We want to see women in all circumstances, good and bad.
We can’t guarantee to use every photograph but hope to represent WASPI women in all their varied lives.
WASPI women live full, active and busy lives.
Much of what they do is unpaid and has a positive community wide impact
So much achieved by so many
So many WASPI women contribute over the long term.
From campaigning to growing your own WASPI women do a great job
Many WASPI women are full time carers as well as campaigners
WASPI Kim cares for her husband who has Alzheimer’s 24/7. Outings, hydrotherapy and total personal care. She’s a campaigner too.
MPs often comment on our Campaign and its impact. We work hard to keep them informed. Local groups do this effectively, campaigning both in their own areas, and supporting the effort in Westminster. You can join a local WASPI group and get involved
Campaigning can take many forms. Mother and daughter at the recent demonstration. Conferences, by the sea, or in a major city. In large groups who’ve travelled a long way to Westminster, or a one to one with an MP – here Mhairi Black, back in the day. All are means of getting the WASPI message out there. On the website is a briefing document to help you know what to say when you meet your MP.
WASPI women raise money for the campaign and for community projects in their area. WASPI wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t for the generous donations made by our members and supporters. Communities would be a lot poorer without the tireless work of volunteers in all sectors. We celebrate them all. Tell us what you do in your community, and how you campaign for WASPI – you can email a photo to waspicomms@gmail.com and tell us about it. You can donate to WASPI on our website
Whether it’s crafting or recycling, raffles, quiz nights or music events, WASPI women have found creative ways to raise money, have fun and make new friends. We’re strong, we’re determined, and we deserve justice.
The local WASPI groups were and still are an essential part of our campaigning work.
They know their MPs, they work in their local areas and support national initiatives.
Thanks to their work in the early days WASPI gained traction and attention. From raising the WASPI flag in Essex to council meetings and protests and not forgetting the cast of the WASPI play. All have played their part in keeping WASPI in the public eye.
So whether it’s demonstrating in Parliament, an awkward interview with Anne Widdecombe, getting drenched waiting to lobby Anas Sarwar MSP, or a rousing rally. WASPI campaigners will be putting their best foot forward.
Many WASPI women will recognise this life of a WASPI woman. Jan, recently widowed after her husband’s sudden illness, and herself afflicted with Polymyalgia retired from teaching in 2014 to provide support for her ailing mother who lived 40 miles away.
She willingly provides holiday and after school care for her grandchildren so her own children can work and is the first one to be roped in to be a volunteer helper on school outings and with reading support.
In addition, Jan is a WASPI group coordinator, and you can see her being interviewed on BBC Breakfast just click below:
Called on to do all sorts. WASPI women seem able to rise to any challenges thrown at them. Pity we’ve had to endure the injustice of not being given adequate notice about our State Pension age increases.
These strong WASPI campaigners didn’t get to see justice. We know of their commitment to righting the historic wrong. We’ll keep on campaigning and remember all WASPI women with joy.
We can’t look back at what WASPI have done in the ten years of campaigning without remembering the women who didn’t get to see justice. We have all lost friends and colleagues. The Campaign has lost many hard working campaigners – we remember them.
WASPI women are remarkable.
From the top going clockwise. Campaigning Jan volunteers at Fantasy Forest. Ruth doesn’t usually do selfies but wanted to contribute to the ten-year commemoration. Sue in the hat and her friend are the Dancing Queens. Sue spent her working life in education. Sheila campaigns for WASPI in northern Scotland and spends a great deal of time getting wet. Irita is a saxophone and piano teacher and hopes to retire when she’s 70 to spend more time composing. Christine is the Membership Committee Director for WASPI, she and Shelagh have stood for hours at numerous Party Conferences for the Campaign. Beryl proudly wore her parents medals at the 80th D Day commemoration in Ver sur Mer. Anne is still working as an accountant at a museum. Gill has taken her campaigning spirit while working at the Tynemouth Book Fair. So many lives, such contribution to society.
WASPI women are found around the world. Moving for life changes, economic and family reasons, they share the same anger and frustration of being side-lined, and the Ombudsman being ignored by the Government.
Before we end our look back over ten years of campaigning we still have more stories. Remarkable women, who share a common injustice, with dignity.
Travelling from all over the country to attend demonstrations. WASPI women didn’t hold back
These women aren’t giving up, or giving in. We campaign on for justice for WASPI women. Are you with us?
Our look back over ten years of strong women campaigning for WASPI Justice has shown us many things. That WASPI women are tough and resilient, not ones for giving up and going away quietly, and we’re determined to get justice.
What have we achieved in the ten years?
Firstly, a recognition of a strong campaign group who behave with professionalism and integrity.
We achieved success in getting the thousands of complaints through a complex system and eventually to being investigated by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman.
We challenged the conclusion of that report and the level of compensation ultimately suggested by the Ombudsman was 3 times higher than previously decided.
We’ve kept WASPI in Parliament, on the desk of every MP and in their constituencies.
We’ve petitioned and raised funds. We’ve taken legal advice at the highest level, at every stage, to question what was challengeable, and what was not.
We’ve been supported in our public affairs by committed people. Press articles have been plentiful and radio and tv interviews too.
We’ve had tears and social media trolls, successes and setbacks.
We’ve made friends and lost friends.
We’ve faced disappointments and made difficult decisions.
All this achieved by very few women, on behalf of many. Whatever the outcome, we know we couldn’t have done more.
Our next challenge is the Judicial Review, and our lawyers are working hard on the materials for that. It won’t be easy. The Government don’t want to have to compensate WASPI women. We will battle on.
To campaigning WASPI women everywhere we thank you for your support and for sending your photos and stories to share with us all.