Congratulations to our 2026 annual award winners

September 2026

Huge congratulations to the winners of our two annual awards, whose names were revealed at our AGM in Cambridgeshire on 19 September. Find out more…

Mandy Burrows Award winner

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Congratulations to Lee, winner of our 2026 Mandy Burrows Award, in recognition of his outstanding contribution to WAY and the welcoming community he has helped create for fellow members.

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Lee was chosen as this year’s winner after being nominated by fellow WAY members, who wanted to recognise the difference he has made by bringing people together through friendly, supportive meet-ups.

After being widowed in 2023 following the death of his wife, Charlie, Lee joined WAY looking for people who truly understood. He started organising meet ups in London, which have grown into a regular space where members can talk, laugh and, in his words, “feel human once again”.  He regularly sees more than 30 people attend the London meet ups he organises, which appeal to people from across the region.

“I’m shocked and over the moon – I never win anything,” said Lee. “If I can get one person to join me at an event then that is 100% success. In reality, many more have come – and kept coming back. It’s great to be able to put a smile back on people’s faces and I am truly grateful for everyone I now can call a friend. If I can do it anyone can – you can make a difference.” 

Congratulations to all our fabulous nominees!

Congratulations to the three wonderful nominees who were put forward by fellow WAY members for this year’s award. The winner was decided by WAY’s Board of Trustees.

Helen Bailey Award winner

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Congratulations to WAY member Rosie Moss, winner of this year’s Helen Bailey Award, which celebrates the powerful ways young widowed people share their stories and help others feel less alone.

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Rosie was nominated for her award-winning podcast WidowedAF, which has helped widowed listeners around the world feel seen, understood and less alone.

Rosie was chosen by fellow WAY members from four talented nominees for the 2026 Helen Bailey Award. In recognition of the different ways widowed people are choosing to share their stories, WAY extended the Helen Bailey Award to include digital storytelling through podcasts and social media broadcasts, as well as written blogs.

WAY launched this award in memory of late WAY member Helen Bailey, who helped so many young widows and widowers through her blog Planet Grief and her book When Bad Things Happen in Good Bikinis.

Being nominated for the Helen Bailey Award was incredibly special, Rosie said: “WAY was one of the first places I found after Ben died, and the support of other widowed people helped me navigate some of the darkest days of my life. Widowed AF was born from a need to connect with others who understood what this life feels like. Knowing that those conversations have helped other widowed people feel seen, understood and a little less alone means more to me than I can say.”

“To receive the Helen Bailey Award is a huge honour,” she said, “but knowing it was voted for by WAY members makes it particularly special. I never wanted to become part of this community, but I will always be grateful that it was there when I needed it. To now be able to give something back to that same community feels incredibly meaningful.”

Huge congratulations to Rosie on winning this year’s Helen Bailey Award, and thank you to everyone who was nominated for using their voices to support, connect and inspire others in the widowed community.

Congratulations to all our nominees!

Congratulations to all the wonderful nominees, who were put forward by fellow WAY members for this year’s award. The winner was also decided by WAY members’ votes.