WOMEN'S Institutes from West Devon are helping to plan a special event celebrating the centenary of the first WI ever established. The first WI was formed in 1915, in Anglesey in North Wales, and now the organisation currently has more than 214,000 members nationwide, with 6,500 groups. St Stephens by Launceston WI is taking the lead in planning the celebration, with local WI groups from Chillaton, Lamerton, Launceston, Lewtrenchard, Lifton, St Andrews, St Stephens, and Tor and Tavy also helping to plan the day's events. It is planned to start the day's events in Launceston with a welcome by the town crier, and by kind invitation of the lord mayor, a procession of WIs with their banners and led by the town piper will process from the town square in Launceston to the town hall, arriving in time to join with the opening chorus of 'Jerusalem' being sung at the annual meeting in The Royal Albert Hall in London. Val Bugden-Cawsey, president of St Stephens WI and former cook/housekeeper to the Princess Royal, said: 'This event shows what the WI is all about — women coming together, working together and inspiring each other to achieve a common goal. The WI is so much more than just "jam and Jerusalem", it's the largest independent organisation of women in the country, and we are planning a major event in celebration of our formation where everyone can find something of interest.'