Women and Families for Defence was a Conservative-aligned pressure group originally founded in March 1983^[1] as Women for Defence.^[2] It was founded in opposition to the Greenham Common Women's Peace Camp^[3] and the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament,^[4] and aimed to oppose arguments in favour of unilateral nuclear disarmament.

It was reportedly founded by Lady Olga Maitland, Ann Widdecombe,^[5][6] Virginia Bottomley^[5] and Angela Rumbold^[7] (who also became vice-chairwoman of the organization^[8]). However, Alfred Sherman told the Sunday Times that it was Maitland who 'solely' set up the group, with his help.^[9] The Viscount Trenchard, the former Minister for Defence Procurement, became its president.^[10][11]

The group had its own magazine, Deter, and received a commendation from the U.S. president, Ronald Reagan.^[12] The group held its first public meeting on 1 May 1983 in Trafalgar Square, whereupon 150 members of the group met, sang "Land of Hope and Glory" and argued in favour of a nuclear deterrent as a precursor to multilateral nuclear disarmament. The group also delivered a petition signed by 13,000 people to respond to the proposals of the West for missile reductions.^[13] In 1986, it was expelled from a council that was organising events to mark the International Year of Peace that year.^[10]

Maitland later turned the group into a general anti-Labour political canvassing group, Women and Families for Canvassing.^[14]