WAY to go: WAY Ambassador Norman sings solo to raise funds for WAY

July 2025

WAY Ambassador Norman sang a solo this summer to help raise funds for WAY Widowed and Young, the charity that has been a lifeline for him since he was widowed.

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This summer, the newly-formed Forte {to excel} choir held its first end-of-term concert – a special evening of music and meaning in support of WAY Widowed and Young.

The showcase-style event took place at St Mary’s Church in Purley-on-Thames, just outside Reading, and featured a selection of group and solo performances. The recently formed choir performed five songs they’d polished during their first 10-week term, including Any Dream Will Do, Don’t Stop Me Now and What the World Needs Now.

WAY Ambassador Norman sang Bring Him Home – one of the showstoppers from the musical Les Misérables. It’s a song that resonates deeply with Norman, whose wife Helen died in 2014. He explains it’s a prayer sung by Jean Valjean, pleading with God to spare the life of his prospective son in law, who is fighting on the French barricades.

“This is very much how I felt when Helen was ill and close to death”

Since being widowed, Norman has found solace and strength through singing – a passion that’s improved his mental health, given him confidence and helped him to get out of the house and socialise.

“Normally I shy away from being in front and centre of things,” says Norman. “But when you are performing a solo piece, you have no choice.”

Norman credits choir leader Derry for suggesting that the showcase should raise funds for WAY after he had found out how much the peer support network had helped Norman through his bereavement.

“I was over the moon when Derry suggested that WAY should benefit from the end of term showcase,” says Norman. “It was my pleasure to speak about WAY and to have some wonderful conversations afterwards about WAY and how we support young widowed people." 

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This isn’t Norman’s first time fundraising for WAY. From baking cakes at Dragon Boat races to shaving his head post-lockdown (raising over £1,000), he’s always looking for ways to give back to the charity that’s been such a lifeline for him.

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The concert, which took place at St Mary’s Church in Purley-on-Thames, just outside Reading  on Monday, 11 August, raised more than £300.

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