Members' Stories

Here are just a few stories from our incredible members and how our charity has supported them. 

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…

National Day of Reflection: Looking back on four years since being widowed to Covid-19

Feb 2024

WAY Ambassador Emma Charlesworth reflects on the rollercoaster of emotions she has navigated since her husband Charlie died after contracting Covid-19 four years ago…

Ramadan as a widowed Muslim mother: Ruba’s story

Feb 2024

We understand how difficult this month can be without your loved one, especially this year when the start of the month coincides with Mother’s Day.

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.

Connecting with other WAY members: A jam-packed PGL weekend

Feb 2024

Nearly 100 WAY members and children recently headed for a WAY adventure weekend at PGL Caythorpe. 

Beating the January blues

Jan 2024

Jodie joined WAY in summer 2022 and started volunteering as part of WAY’s Merseyside Area Contact Team in September 2023. She recently set up a mindful watercolour event for fellow WAY members to help…

Katie's Story

Jan 2024

WAY member Katie explains how WAY has helped her to navigate life after her fiance’s death. Here’s her story…

Sophie’s story: Facing the New Year as a new mum

Dec 2023

WAY member Sophie was 17 weeks pregnant when her husband Paul died in a traffic accident earlier this year. She shares how she’ll be making this New Year as special as she can for their newborn daught…

Darren's Story

Dec 2023

WAY member Darren’s husband Chris died in January after suffering a brain aneurysm. The 44-year-old from Sheffield explains how he has navigated the past 11 months without Chris….

Facing the future with optimism: Claire's Story

Dec 2023

WAY member Claire shares how she is facing the Christmas and the New Year with as much optimism as she can since her husband of 20 years died in January…

Sarah’s story – facing her first Christmas after her husband died

Dec 2023

This will be Sarah’s first Christmas and New Year without Glynn, who died on 3 March 2023. This time last year, Glynn was in and out of hospital before being discharged on New Year’s Eve: “It was such…

From WAY members with love this Christmas

Dec 2023

WAY volunteer Tracey shares the story of how WAY Widowed and Young’s Secret Santa initiative came about – this year she is organising for more than 170 gifts to be sent out...

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.

Emma's Story: Supporting Children

Nov 2023

WAY member and ex-primary school deputy headteacher Emma Marfleet shared her story during Children's Grief Awareness Week and how she is helping her children maintain an ongoing relationship with thei…

Reflecting on Remembrance Day: Matthew’s story

Nov 2023

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 – and how he’s pla…

Celebrating Diwali: Finding light in the darkness

Nov 2023

WAY member Shalini explains how her Indian heritage and her Hindu faith have affected her bereavement journey since her husband died – and she shares how she will be celebrating Diwali this year by lo…

World Menopause Day: Landmark opportunity inspired WAY member’s short story on menopause

Oct 2023

When writer Cath Holland’s husband Andy died of bowel cancer in 2019, she wasn’t able to write her own stories at first. So when Cath saw that WAY was offering members an opportunity to stay in a Land…

Mental Health Awareness: Aimee's Story

Oct 2023

Eight years after her partner Marky died, WAY Widowed and Young member Aimee shares how she overcame agoraphobia and anxiety to find a new way forward, with support from her WAY friends.

Advice for looking after your mental health from a WAY Ambassador

Oct 2023

Did you know 1 in 4 of us will experience a mental health problem each year. That could be a family member, a friend, a colleague, or it could be you. WAY Ambassador Norman Smart shares his advice for…

Congratulations to our Mandy Burrows Award winner

Sept 2023

Huge congratulations to Kristine – the winner of the 2023 Mandy Burrows Award for making an outstanding contribution to WAY over the past year.

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