Mandy Burrows Award: Meet our 2025 nominees
June 2025
Congratulations to all of our wonderful nominees, who have been put forward for our 2025 Mandy Burrows Memorial Award for their outstanding contributions to WAY over the past year.
Mandy Burrows was a WAY member who died at the age of just 30. Many members and friends donated money to a collection for WAY at her funeral and we decided that the best way to remember Mandy for many years to come was to use these funds for a memorial award.
Below you can read more about our five fabulous 2025 nominees and why they have been put forward for nomination by fellow WAY members.
Chris
South West-based volunteer Chris was nominated for creating a welcoming and supportive environment for fellow members at regular local events…
“I became Area Contact for Devon shortly after joining WAY in March 2024. It’s an enormous privilege to be able to bring together those in need of support. There’s often such a look of relief on people’s faces as they realise they have found others who really understand their grief. Being nominated for this award is very humbling as I get so much from the role myself but I feel very honoured!
I wholeheartedly encourage anyone considering volunteering for WAY to take the leap. Giving back to a charity that has guided me through my own journey of grief is incredibly rewarding.”
Fiona
North East-based WAY member Fiona was nominated for the exceptional support and encouragement she offers to her fellow members via WAY’s online platforms, in spite of the health challenges she has faced…
“I lost my husband in January 2003 to male breast cancer and joined WAY later that year. I didn’t know anybody else who was in my situation – a 40 year old with two young children. I was looking for somewhere to get support and understanding to help navigate my bereavement and to find a way forward and I found it in WAY – it is like a family!
WAY has helped in so many ways – in the beginning I met so many people at WAY events locally in the North East England group. Everybody I met was nice and kind and supportive. I have made some amazing friends over the years. Because life was so busy, I would dip in and out of the support, but always knew WAY was there for me.
In March 2023, I was diagnosed with a rare brain cancer, which has meant that I lost one eye and am no longer able to work in my role in the NHS. The loss of my work had a huge impact on me. My job was about helping others and I really missed that. After joining the WAY Facebook group after the Glasgow AGM, I realised I could help others by commenting and supporting others as they posted. While my health continues to be challenging, it helps me to focus on others rather than just myself. It is so important to be kind, especially within our community – a kind word on a post goes a long way. And by helping others you can also help yourself.
Being nominated for the Mandy Burrows Award cheered me up so much – it is lovely that my efforts at helping others have been recognised. I don’t do anything for recognition or thanks, but it nice to feel that it is valued.”
Gary
Gary was nominated in recognition of the time and effort he spends organising events for fellow members as a local volunteer in Scotland. As a WAY Trustee, Gary isn’t eligible to win this year’s award, but we wanted to share his response to being nominated…
“After joining WAY just a couple of weeks after my wife died, I found being able to speak to others who ‘get it’ made a huge difference to me getting by.
I first started organising meet ups for something to do but, over time, it has become so much more than that. I get a lot out of organising them, but the best thing is knowing that others find them helpful. I have enjoyed getting to meet other people and see them find their own levels of support, as I did in my early months.
It is a great feeling to be nominated for the Mandy Burrows Award as it makes me feel like I am helping others. One of the best feelings about volunteering for WAY is knowing that you make a difference. If anyone ever considers volunteering, I would highly recommend it.”
Orla
West Midlands-based volunteer Orla was nominated because she has been offering regular online yoga sessions to fellow WAY members since the pandemic.
“My reaction to loss and grief was not what I expected. I felt so disembodied, so unable to connect to what or how I was feeling, I felt unable to properly parent our young son. What brought me back was yoga. It helped me feel and therefore to start to heal.
I trained to be a yoga teacher and, once qualified, I thought I’d share a weekly online class with WAY members. This was on the tail end of all the lockdowns, when using Zoom and connecting in this way was starting to be a bit more normal. As time has gone on, I have changed how I teach yoga to make it as soothing and accessible as possible.
I am still in awe that I can share something with other widows that makes an impact - if they just give it a try. Helping others through yoga gives right back to me – it feels amazing to do this sort of beautiful work now. I have gone on to share retreats (next one is October in Spain), to do respite weekends for widowed parents and their children, to working with other charities. If I hadn’t seen the power of helping other widows, I don’t think my life would have moved forward in this way. There is something so rewarding and nurturing to your soul when you can help another person, even in just a tiny little way.
Being nominated for this award honestly blows my socks off. Until becoming a widow, I thought I was doing fine, but my husband dying shook me to my core and I had to find ways to start living again. To be able to use what helped me to help others AND to receive a nomination is like winning an emotional lottery. This is my third time to be nominated, and as much as it would be the icing on the cake to win (maybe third time lucky?!), the win is already in the nomination. That fills my heart right up.”
Sarah
Hampshire-based online volunteer Sarah was nominated because of the support and advice she has offered to other members as a host for WAY’s New Member Zooms…
“I joined WAY in September 2022 after the sudden loss of my fiancée in May 2022.
I joined my first Zoom meet up for new members not knowing who or what to expect but I had no reason to worry. I was welcomed with virtual open arms and was able to swear, cry and say exactly how I felt without judgement and in the presence of those who ‘got it’.
It helped me realise everything I was going through was ‘normal’ although at the time I never believed the hosts that things would get ‘lighter’. I began looking forward to those Saturday morning Zooms to get me through my days/weeks and I forged some friendships with fellow WAYers.
I now host Saturday morning Zooms with other volunteers. I very often say that it is an honour and privilege for newer members to share their story with us and to watch them change and grow even though they can’t always see it themselves. I also suggest new members join the online quiz on a Friday evening, even if all they want is company.
I’ve had the pleasure of meeting some WAYers in person and know who I can turn to when I’m in need of the occasional prop up.
I’m totally shocked and stunned to be nominated for the Mandy Burrows Award but I guess it means I have helped at least one person. If anyone wants to reach out, just do it. It’s one of the most rewarding things I have done.”
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