Emma joined WAY in June 2020, just under two months after being widowed at the age of 39 when her husband Stuart “Charlie” Charlesworth died of COVID-19 aged 45. She has one daughter, Rebekah.
Emma became an Ambassador for WAY in 2021 as she wanted to give a voice to those who had lost loved ones to COVID-19 and during the pandemic. She went on to represent WAY on the Lived Experience Advisory Forum for the UK Commission on Bereavement's report ‘Bereavement is Everyone’s Business’.
In 2023, Emma joined our team of volunteers who host the New Member Zooms for new members to come along to and share about the support available to them. Emma’s experiences with WAY to date have shown her what a lifeline this charity is to so many.
Emma told us: “Being widowed young can be an isolating experience as it is hard to find people who understand what it’s like. Joining WAY helped me to connect with others who have been through this experience and who get it.
Becoming a Trustee felt like a natural step to give back to a charity which has been so important to me. Since my late husband died, I’ve raised over £15,000 for various charities important to my family, including WAY, and my aim is to bring the knowledge and experience gained in a personal capacity to the Trustee role and look for ways to raise much-needed funds for WAY to make sure it can continue to provide support to those who need it.”