AFTER more than half a century in the heart of St Albans city centre, the Herts branch of the Women’s Institute (WI) has moved to Wheathampstead.

It has left its headquarters in Spencer Street where it has been located since 1958 to move into new offices in Wheathampstead High Street.

The Spencer Street offices had become increasingly unsuitable and unsustainable so after much heart-searching the WI decided to move to the village where it also has a shopfront in which to display and sell goods produced by members.

Recently, senior WI members from across the county joined local district councillors Chris Oxley and Annie Brewster at a ribbon-cutting ceremony to formally open the new office.

National Chairman Ruth Bond cut the tape at the new office and praised the county for being at the forefront of new ideas for the national WI resolution for the country of origin on food labelling.

District Cllr Chris Oxley, the only man at the tape cutting, commented: “We greatly appreciate that Wheathampstead has been chosen as the new home for Hertfordshire WI.

“We have huge respect for all the work that the WI does in the community, often in small villages where their care and concern is always present and very personal, looking after not only their own members but many others in need of help and support.”