From abseiling to archery, belly-dancing to bungee jumping, canoeing to cake-decorating - the ABC of modern-day WI activities is endless.

You name it, it can be arranged. You just need the right members and a bit of imagination.

The newest local groups within the organisation, which celebrated its centenary in 2015, even think up outlandish names for themselves like the Rogerstone Roses and the Cwmbran Allsorts.

And all this could be coming to a town centre venue near you…

Two open meetings have been arranged for next Tuesday to discuss launching an Abergavenny WI and would-be members of all ages are welcome to bring their views to the ‘party’.

The WI plays a unique role in providing women with educational opportunities and the chance to build new skills, to take part in a wide variety of activities and to campaign on issues that matter to them and their communities.

It’s a concept which is becoming increasingly popular with younger women, with each new group set up to meet its members specific interests.

WI adviser Jill Rundle said, “The Gwent Federation was actually formed at the Angel Hotel in 1921.

“Due to the policy of opening WIs in villages only, the first one near to Abergavenny was opened at Llanfoist in 1927. It ran until 1994.

“The Gwent Federation was represented at the National Eisteddfod last summer and a lot of people approached us wanting to start a group in Abergavenny.

“Now we are able to move into towns we would like very much to start a WI here ready for the local Federation’s centenary.”

While the WI is thriving in many rural locations across the UK and town-dwellers, even in the depths of winter, will often drive out to nearby villages to attend monthly meetings, many more would be likely to join a group which was within walking distance of their home.

Existing members are well aware that the WI began as - and continues to be - a campaigning, non-party political organisation whose anthem ‘Jerusalem’ was adopted from the suffragettes.

The infamous heckling and slow hand-clapping of Prime Minister Tony Blair at the national conference in 2000 followed by the success of the film ‘Calendar Girls’ three years later, raised the profile of the WI to a wider audience in ways no-one could have predicted and led to the establishment of new groups led by young women who could see that the organisation had a 21st century relevance.

Some like the social side, the opportunity to take part in different activities and share experiences. Others are interested in the campaigning element.

Last year at national level the WI tackled issues surrounding dementia and food waste while this year they will be focusing on problems of loneliness and the risk to marine life caused by micro-fibres.

“There is also the fact that granny doesn’t teach skills such as cake making and crochet any more, and many younger women are keen to learn,” said Jill.

“Every group is what its members want it to be. Even the timing of meetings can be geared towards their lifestyles.

“In Abergavenny, for example, there could be two separate groups, one meeting in the afternoon, one in the evening.

“Basically we’d like as many people as possible to come along to one of the open meetings next Tuesday (at 2pm and 7pm at Abergavenny Community Centre in Park Street) and put forward their ideas.”