On Friday 17 September, Sir David Amess spoke at the Esher and Walton Conservative Woman’s Organisation 10-year anniversary event. The organisation does invaluable work for women wanting to run for public office roles, holding networking events and helping women advance their career in the business world.

One of the Organisation’s founding members and previous chairman, Elise Dunweber, is stepping down and it was also a celebration of all the amazing successes she has achieved in helping women reach their aspirations. Amongst others, the event was attended by Elise, Lorraine Platt, co-founder of the Conservative Animal Welfare Foundation, and Dominic Raab MP.

Sir David Amess said:

I was last here speaking in May 2018 before we even knew what Coronavirus was. It has been a very difficult time for all of us, but many of our nation’s charities, individuals and organisations have been selflessly helping those who need it most during the pandemic. The Conservative Women’s Organisation for Esher and Walton have been one of those organisations who continued to work tirelessly throughout the pandemic helping women run for public office roles, helping with networking and giving women a voice in the political and business worlds.

This year marks the 10-year anniversary for the Conservative Women’s Organisation for Esher and Walton and you certainly deserve to celebrate all the wonderful achievements you should be proud of. Your wonderful organisation is so important because we need all types of people with different backgrounds and genders in the Houses of Parliament representing our country. I am very pleased to have been around in Westminster for 38 years and I have seen the number of women in the House of Commons increasing. We now have the highest number of women in Parliament ever.

Of course, one of the most famous women in Parliament, and even one of the most famous people in international politics, is Margaret Thatcher. I was fortunate enough to have served under her Government and met her on many occasions. Margaret was truly a wonderful person to work with and her determination and passion for politics and making our country a better place to live and work in was next to none. She is sorely missed, but her name lives on in the inspirational legacy she left behind as our first female Prime Minister and longest serving Prime Minister of the 20thcentury. I know that Margaret has inspired many young women to pursue a career in politics.

Today, however, we are not only celebrating the 10th anniversary of this organisation, but we are also here to congratulate Elise who is stepping down as chairman. As many of you know I am sure, Elise is a founding member of the organisation and has undoubtedly helped many women achieve their career goals.

Elise and I certainly do share the desire for women’s voices to be heard throughout the country. As chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Maternity and the All- Party Parliamentary Group on Endometriosis, I work closely with inspirational women who want to make a significant difference.

However, we also share another passion - animal welfare. Elise and I are both patrons of the Conservative Animal Welfare Foundation. Lorraine Platt, the founder of the organisation, is another amazing woman who has done so much for a cause she cares about.

The Conservative Animal Welfare Foundation has campaigned on a vast range of animal welfare issues including food labelling, ending cages for hens, pet theft, live animal exports for slaughter and a ban on the shark fin trade. Thanks to the Conservative Animal Welfare Foundation and other animal charities, we have made huge advances as a country in improving animal rights.

I am delighted that pet abduction will finally become a criminal offence in the United Kingdom, that the Kept Animals Bill is currently passing through Parliament and that the Government has produced their Action Plan for Animal Welfare.

The Conservative Women’s Organisation for Esher and Walton has done vital work for women for the last ten years and we are all grateful for that. I look forward to seeing what you achieve in the next ten years and I wish you every success.

And now I would like to introduce Katy Bourne who will speak next. Katy first became involved with the Conservative Women’s Organisation in 2008 and has served as the national chairman. She has now been re-elected as the Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner for a third term and has been instrumental in reducing crime in Sussex. Katy is a great example of a woman in a high-powered elected position who does so much for her county. Everyone please welcome Katy Bourne.