Photograph of the facade of Grangetown Baptist Church where the Women's Institute would meet.

The Women's Institute (WI) was originally founded in 1915 in response to the growing demands presented by the First World War. It was originally formed to encourage women to volunteer to help with the war effort in such things as farming food. However the WI has vastly expanded its horizons and is now the largest women’s voluntary organisation in the UK. These women actively volunteer, address inequalities and campaign for a variety of issues relevant to their communities. The WI currently has 215,000 members in over 6,500 WIs nationwide. The Men’s Institute (MI), like the Women’s Institute (WI), at its core believes in addressing any inequalities faced. The MI focuses on raising awareness on issues that affect men, campaigning and offering support for the physical, psychological and social well being of men. During the industrial revolution the MI set up many working men’s clubs, intended to provide educational opportunities to working class men. They became a place where men could get support through trying times, such as a financial difficulty.
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Ref: Glamorgan Archives, DX799/1