The Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland (AAGBI) was founded in 1932 by Dr Henry W. Featherstone (1894–1967). The Association represents the medical and political views of over 11,000 anaesthetists in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland and, through its overseas membership, has close contact with anaesthetists in many other countries. The Association is run by the Council who are elected from the membership for a term of four years, and the Executive Officers who are elected from within the Council. The Association has a broad constitution that enables it to promote and advance education, safety and research in anaesthesia, as well as the professional aspects of the specialty and the welfare of individual anaesthetists.