Salford and Eccles Waspi Women had a very productive afternoon yesterday as they took to campaign at the Conservative Conference in Manchester. Waspi Salford and Eccles group quite fittingly met at the Pankhurst statue, a very appropriate choice as the engraving reads 'Rise up Women' and that is exactly what they did. They were joined by Shelagh Simmons from the Solent WASPI group. Despite a very heavy police presence which limited access, members were delighted to be photographed with Peter Aldous MP, who took leaflets to distribute over the next few days. WASPI members were photographed by 'The Morning Star', video interviewed by 'The Guardian', and interviewed by Hits Radio, Manchester. They engaged with many passers-by, who were all very supportive, taking photos to send to WASPI partners or mothers. John Palmer (Head of Policy and Communications Independent Age) stopped to chat, as did Bev Craig (Leader of Manchester City Council) and Councillor Davida Ademuyiwa (Basildon and Billiricay) The term "WASPI women" refers to the group of women in the United Kingdom who have been affected by changes to the state pension age for women. The acronym "WASPI" stands for "Women Against State Pension Injustice." These women were born in the 1950s and had expected to receive their state pension at age 60. However, government legislation in the early 1990s and 2011 accelerated the increase in the state pension age for women to bring it in line with that of men, which has caused financial hardship for many affected women who were not given sufficient notice to adjust their retirement plans. WASPI women have been advocating for fair transitional arrangements and compensation from the government to address the financial difficulties they have faced due to these changes. Their campaign has raised awareness about the challenges faced by this group of women and has sparked discussions about pension equality and the importance of adequate planning for retirement. The group wishing to thank their photographers. Photo ©: Audrey and Bob Astbury, WASPI Salford and Eccles group. #notgoingaway
