What is WAY?


WAY is the only national charity in the UK for people aged 50 or under when their partner died.

It’s a club that nobody wants to be eligible to join, but we are so glad that our members find us. We are a place for people who have experienced an untimely loss to understand and have compassion for those experiencing the same. Quite simply, to be able to say: “I know”.

Our service offers a peer-to-peer support group operating with a network of volunteers who have been bereaved at a young age themselves, so they understand exactly what other members are going through.

WAY was founded in 1997 and now has more than 4700 members across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

WAY aims to provide peer-to-peer emotional and practical support to ALL young widowed people –married or not, with or without children, inclusive of sexual orientation, gender, race and religion.


Group photo

From picnics to meals out, our members are able to attend lively social groups that meet up throughout the year.

We also organise weekends away for adults and families, go camping, have parties and offer an alternative social life that doesn't revolve around couples. Our Members Hub is secure and offers a safe place for members to meet and chat online.

Despite our grief, WAY members do know how to laugh and have fun. Supporting each other is a great way to learn to live again after the trauma of experiencing a loved one die. And many people have made life-long friendships through WAY.

Read some of our members' stories to hear what WAY means to members across the UK.