MORE than 60 members from Women's Institutes in Bucks made the trip to Leeds to attend the organisation's national annual meeting, which focused on organ donation.

The National Federation of Women's Institutes held its annual meeting where more than 5,000 women attended and voted on the organisation's new campaign.

And 98 per cent of WI members voted in favour of the resolution which calls on every member of the WI to make their wishes regarding organ donation known and to encourage their families and friends to do so too.

WI members have campaigned for organ donation as far back as 1952, and asked for the Organ Donor Register to be set up in 1972.

The UK’s organ donation consent rate is among the lowest in Europe, yet while only 30 per cent of the UK population is on the register, more than 80 per cent of people say they are willing to donate organs or consider donating after their death. The Buckinghamshire Federation of Women's Institutes is in Stuart Road, High Wycombe.

Thelma Sackman, resolutions advisor for Bucks said: "WI members have never been afraid of making their voices heard when an issue is important however difficult the conversation might be, and few things are more important than making sure your family and friends know what you’d like to happen to your organs if the worst should happen.

"There is still a staggering discrepancy between the number of people requiring organs and the number of people who wish to donate organs after their death, and the best way to address this problem is through a national conversation; a heart to heart about organ donation."