More than 30 people gathered in St Asaph Cathedral on Monday (20 November) as part of the WI’s campaign calling for No More Violence Against Women.

The event heard from five local speakers raising awareness of abuse and encouraging people to show solidarity with survivors of violence and other forms of abusive behaviour.

Afterwards, members of Llanelwy WI walked down to St Asaph Parish Church holding posters and wearing white ribbons as a visible demonstration of their campaign.

The event was organised by Denise D’Albertson, the President of Llanelwy WI, who told the gathered audience, that one woman in three experience domestic abuse in their lifetime and two women are murdered every week by their partner or ex-partner. She introduced the work of White Ribbon UK which campaigns to end violence against women by men. The Mayor of St Asaph, Cllr Colin Hardie, is an ambassador for White Ribbon UK and spoke at the event.

The other speakers were:

• Mike Taggatt MBE, from North Wales Police, who is a trustee for White Ribbon
• Lisa Harbour and Rhiannon Compton from the Family Department at Swayne Johnson Solicitors
• Katrina Jones from North Wales Women’s Centre, based in Rhyl

Today’s event comes ahead of the international campaign, 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, which begins on Saturday (25 November). Members of St Asaph Mothers’ Union will be holding a vigil in St Asaph Cathedral on Saturday at 1.03pm and reading out the names of all those women who have died this year. The Mothers’ Union campaign, #Nomore1in3, is a reminder that one in three women experience abuse and violence. MU members will be present in the Cathedral every day during the 16-day campaign at 1.03pm to talk to visitors.

Llanelwy WI meets on the first Tuesday of every month at St Asaph Parish Church. You can find out more about Llanelwy WI and its campaign at https://www.facebook.com/llanelwywi

St Asaph Mothers’ Union has branches across the Diocese of St Asaph and you can find out more about its campaign, #Nomore1in3 at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100066851384337