Members' Stories

Coping with Christmas: Rebecca’s story

Dec 2024

WAY member Rebecca, who set up the subgroup WAY WOCS for WAY members without children – shares how she copes with Christmas…

Lone parenting is an extreme sport with no training

Feb 2024

WAY member Meredith reflects on the relentlessness of widowed parenting – and the importance of asking for help…

Anushka’s story: Navigating secondary losses on Mother’s Day

Feb 2024

WAY member Anushka was on the brink of countless adventures with her partner Max when he died suddenly in March 2020 at the age of just 33.

Navigating grief together: A mother and daughter’s journey

Nov 2023

We talk to WAY’s National Volunteer Manager Veronica, whose husband Wullie died unexpectedly from a heart attack seven years ago, and her daughter Becca, now 18.

Marking Black History Month: Selina’s story

Sept 2023

To mark Black History Month, Selina shares some of the financial and emotional challenges she faced after her fiancé Ray died in 2022…

Sweena's Story: International Widows' Day

Jun 2023

23 June is International Widows’ Day, which is a UN awareness day set up to highlight the plight of widows around the world.

Ramadan as a young Muslim widow: Ruba’s story

Mar 2023

Ramadan Mubarak to all of those in the Muslim community and to our Muslim members. We understand how difficult it can be to experience this month without your loved one, so South London-based WAY memb…

Kathy's Story: Cohabiting Couples Campaign

Feb 2023

WAY Ambassador Kathy Ford lost her partner Keith in November 2018 to a sudden heart attack. They had been together for 19 years and had two sons together. In June 2019, Kathy gave evidence to the Work…

Orlanda's Story: Widowed, Pregnant and Challenging Injustices

Feb 2023

WAY Widowed and Young Ambassador Orlanda Bryars was featured on The One Show on 7 February alongside fellow WAY members Joana and Kelly. Here she highlights the heart-breaking injustices facing pregna…

Celebrating campaign success: Laura's Story

Jan 2023

York-based WAY member Laura has been campaigning to extend bereavement support to unmarried parents since her partner Nigel died of a heart attack in February 2020, leaving her to bring up their 2-yea…

Jonathan's Story: Volunteering for WAY

Dec 2022

On International Volunteer Day and we would like to say an enormous thank you to our volunteers; they do an incredible job supporting our 4500+ members across the UK and they make such a huge differen…

Finding support with grief through WAY's LGBTQ+ community

Jun 2022

Suzanne helps to share her story of being widowed and then finding support with grief through the WAY LGBTQ+ community.

You don't have to face widowhood alone.

If you've lost your partner before your 51st birthday and live in the UK – whether you were married or not, with or without children, whatever your sexual orientation, race or religion – you are welcome to join us.

Joining up to WAY takes minutes and costs just £30 a year, which can be paid either by direct debit or PayPal.

“I will always remain a member of WAY as I know that my membership helps WAY to continue to support other members and reach out to new members.

Since WAY has made such a difference to me after being widowed young, I want to do all that I can to help that support continue” - WAY member, Jenny