International Women's Day: Solent WASPI group holds Sisters in Song event

Women Against State Pension Inequality (Waspi) is a national and international campaign to secure compensation for women born in the 1950s whose state pension age rose by as much as six years without proper notice. There are more than 9,000 women affected in Portsmouth.

They invited other Portsmouth women’s groups, community activists, friends and family to join them.

The event was led by Natural Voice practitioner, Janet Ayers, and a collection was made for the Stop Domestic Abuse charity.

Solent WASPI coordinator, Shelagh Simmons said: ‘We were delighted to have Janet lead our evening. She chose some truly inspirational songs for us on this special day as an expression of our solidarity with each other here in Portsmouth and women all over the world. Singing makes you feel good, so this was a great way to both celebrate women’s achievements over the years and encourage us to carry on what often seems a never-ending battle for meaningful equality.

‘This year’s International Women’s Day marks another milestone in our campaign for 1950s women’s state pension justice. Waspi has reached its initial £100,000 Crowdjustice fundraiser target as we initiate legal action against the Parliamentary Ombudsman for “failing to follow due process” in regard to their investigation of the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). We are now pressing on with further fundraising.’

The Parliamentary Ombudsman concluded in 2021 that the DWP was guilty of maladministration in its handling of state pension age changes.