MEMBERS of Milverton Women’s Institute have become the second local branch to leave the national organisation in protest at a ban on membership by men who transgender to become female.

The National Federation of Women’s Institutes (WI) has imposed the ban following a Supreme Court ruling that a woman is defined by her biological sex at birth.

It has been asking all WI members to sign a declaration that they accept the ruling in order to remain members.

Last month, the Wellington WI branch quit the federation and will continue to operate as an independent group under the name ‘Monumental Women of Wellington’ and allow trans women to join.

Now, members of Milverton WI have disassociated themselves from the federation and earlier this month held their first meeting as an independent group.

The new group has been named ‘Milverton Marigolds’ after a vote on three proposed names.

A spokesperson said: “We shall continue to meet at 2.30 pm on the first Thursday of each month in the reading room of the Victoria Rooms.

“We have a full and varied programme lined up for the coming year.

“We have already recruited quite a few new members, but we would like to see as many people as possible, so do come and be part of the Milverton Marigolds.

“NB, we are NOT the WI.”

The last gathering of the WI branch was its annual meeting, when a federation official attended to oversee the closing down process and confirm the disassociation.

WI chief executive Melissa Green said: “It is with the utmost regret and sadness we announce from April we can no longer offer formal membership to transgender women.

“As an organisation that has proudly welcomed transgender women into our membership for more than 40 years, this is not something we would do unless we felt we had no other choice.”