Military

---

Hi, I’m Emma and I was widowed in 2016 when my husband, a Royal Marine, died of cancer. Being a Military Widow comes with challenges that those with a military background would instinctively understand and in joining WAY I have discovered a community of people, with and without Military connections, who are going through exactly the same challenges as me.

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 are a group with connections to the Military. Whilst there are other organisations that provide support to Military Widows, WAY provides a unique set of benefits that have really helped me through my journey.    

In 2020 I set up a 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 members 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 like this provides us with an even stronger opportunity to benefit from the kind of peer to peer support that WAY is famous for. And 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 talk 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. 

How Can WAY Help?

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 WAY members

Please take a look at the below for content for further personal stories from our members:

---

• Read our article on how grief affects military spouses
• Hear Emma talking about bereavement as a Military Widow 
• Emma becomes a WAY Ambassador 
• Facebook Military sub group (Members only)
• Talk aWAY with Shalini and Emma 
• Talk aWAY with Kate and Kirsty
• 25 Tuesdays with WAY with Niki Scott 
• WAY member Laura tells her story and how they remember husband Nick
• Find out more about the support network on Armed Forces Day
• 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 will also have access to the following benefits:

•  Access to a community of other widowed people who understand what you're going through.   
• A wide range of peer-to-peer support groups that are unique for many different types of loss, interests and spiritualities.        
• Access to events organised across the UK, including social events, meals out and weekends away.       
• 24/7, 365 days a year telephone confidential support line run by fully-trained counsellors and support specialists, which includes access to counselling, legal support, financial advice and health advice.       
• Financial support for those who need help with membership costs.  
• Helpful resources to help you understand your loss.
• One year subscription to our members’ magazine and updates by email and on the members only website.       
• Network of volunteers who have all been widowed themselves, so they understand how it feels.

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.