Celebrating friendship on International Friendship Day
July 2024
To celebrate International Friendship Day (Tuesday 30 July), we are sharing the inspiring stories of some of our members who have found invaluable friendship, support and understanding through WAY Widowed and Young’s peer support network.
Friendship, support and understanding is what WAY is all about and we are so glad that so many people have found friendships since joining WAY. For many WAY members, this has created the building blocks for social connections that have helped them to navigate their bereavement and rebuild their life after loss…
Orlanda and Rachel’s story
A chance encounter through WAY’s Instagram platform helped friendship to flourish between WAY Ambassador Orlanda (above left) and fellow WAY Ambassador Rachel (above right), who were both widowed while pregnant.
The two Emmas' story
Two WAY Ambassadors, both called Emma, reached out to each other through social media and have become each other’s biggest champions as they have navigated life as young widowed mums.
“Going to WAY events where she is the only other person I know is like having my very own comfort blanket,” said Emma C (above left). “Emma G makes me smile, she makes me laugh, she gives me comfort and I wouldn’t have got through some very dark days without her… I hate what we’ve both gone through to bring us together, but I’m so very glad to have her as part of my life.”
Read how two Emmas became firm friends here
Lisa and Lorraine's story
When Lisa was first widowed, she reached out to fellow WAY member Lorraine and they went for a walk around the local park. Since then, they have supported each other through the ups and downs of life as young widows – and have even taken up salsa dancing together.
“We have become such good friends and have shared so many tears and so much laughter together,” said Lisa. “We have encouraged each other in our journeys – when one is down, the other is there to offer words of encouragement of even just a different viewpoint. We have shown each other that there is a different way of living and we are embracing new adventures and making new memories.”
Read Lisa and Lorraine’s story here
When three's not a crowd
They say three’s a crowd, but for Amanda, Angela and Theresa, that’s definitely not the case. Their friendship blossomed over a game of online bingo organised by WAY volunteers during lockdown, and since then they’ve built a bond that grows stronger with every call of “all the threes”.
Nat and Kate's story
When Nat reached out to Kate after she first joined WAY, their friendship was immediate.
"We instantly felt at home in each other’s company and finally able to talk about the realities of being young widows,” said Nat. “We spent hours walking the Thames and talking non-stop about our experiences – how things had changed, the challenges we faced and how important it was for us both to live full and happy lives in our husband’s memories.”
Read Nat and Kate’s story here
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