Hi, I’m Emma and I was widowed in 2016 when my Royal Marine husband died in service from cancer. Being a Military Widow comes with some unique challenges that those with a military background often instinctively understand. Although joining WAY linked me into a wonderful community of people who are going through similar challenges as me, having a smaller sub-group who all have military connections has been a lovely support.
WAY is the only National Charity for ALL those who lose a partner aged 50 or under, married or not, with or without children, inclusive of sexual orientation, gender, race and religion. Within the Membership there is a sub-group specifically for WAY members with connections to the Military. Whilst there are other organisations that provide support to Military Widows, WAY’s peer support has been a huge help through my journey.
In 2020 I set up the peer support sub-group for WAY members with a military connection. Members are either spouses, partners or other-halves of someone who was employed by the UK HM Forces or a similar foreign organisation either at the time of their death or before they died, or they are WAY members who themselves are veterans and serving personnel within the UK HM Forces or a similar military organisation whose spouse, partner or other-half has died.
Having a specific sub-group for those with a military connection provides an even stronger opportunity to benefit from the kind of peer to peer support that WAY is famous for. Being able to share experiences with people that understand the nuances of the Military is hugely beneficial. And of course we get all the benefits that being a WAY member brings!
Peer to peer support brings empathy and understanding, people you can reach out to that truly get what you’d going through and a group of like-minded people that are there for you every step of the way.
We understand that the Military community is wide and varied and that the discussions around widowhood as well as the challenges faced will be varied and complex. However, we also know that every widow or widower needs a safe environment to talk and feel a part of.
WAY wants to be an inclusive organisation for widows from any background and with this we understand we need to support you to come and join us.
Hear from our members
- Read our article on how grief affects military spouses
- WAY member Laura tells her story and how they remember husband Nick
- Find out more about the support network on Armed Forces Day
- Talk aWAY with Shalini and Emma
- Talk aWAY with Kate and Kirsty
- 25 Tuesdays with WAY with Niki Scott
- WAY member Matthew, who’s a serving Navy officer and member of the WAY military subgroup, reflects on how he has navigated many difficult firsts since his wife and stepdaughter died
Joining WAY
When you join WAY you’ll have access to a community of other widowed people who understand what you are going through. We also have a Military sub group for members to join.
"The WAY military sub-group is a safe space to ask questions to other young military widows and share stories and experiences relevant to the military aspect of navigating life without a military spouse."
As well as our Military group, you can access events organised across the UK, a telephone support line offering counselling, legal and financial support, a subscription to our members magazine and helpful resources to help you understand your loss.
We are sorry you or a loved one needs to be here, but we all understand how difficult these times can be and we’re here for when you are ready.