Hartlepool pension campaigners to spread word of women’s fight in Middleton Grange this weekend

Representatives from Women Against State Pension Injustice initiative (Waspi) are looking forward to speaking to people and generating more support at the event on Saturday.

They will be on hand from 10am until 4pm to provide information and answer questions about the initiative.

Waspi represents and supports more than 3.8 million women in the UK who were born in the 1950s and are now facing hardship due to the government’s decision to increase women’s state pension to 65, and subsequently waiting a further six years to collect it.

Campaigners say women affected have had little or no time to make alternative arrangements.

Barbara Crossman, a co-ordinator for Hartlepool Waspi, who will be attending the Middleton Grange event with her colleague Lynne Taylor, said: “We are very much looking forward to raising awareness for our initiative and speaking to people who have felt this terrible impact.

“By having the opportunity to position ourselves in Centre Square in Middleton Grange, we are able to have direct, face-to-face dialogue with those who may not even be aware they have been affected by this.

“We are really keen to use this event to generate even more support for what we are trying to achieve both locally and nationally.”

While Waspi supports pension age equality, it is campaigning for the government to compensate women affected by the changes.