About Us
“I felt so alone until I met others in WAY… they understand how hard this is.”
WAY was founded in 1997 and now has around 1,700 members across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
We have lively social groups that meet up throughout the year, for drinks, meals out, walks and picnics. We organise weekends away for adults and families, go camping, have parties and offer an alternative social life that does not revolve around couples.
All our groups are run by volunteers, all of whom are widowed themselves, which means everyone you meet in WAY will understand something about what you’ve been through.
Despite our grief, WAY members know how to laugh and have fun. Supporting each other is a great way to learn to live again after the trauma of watching a loved one die.
What our members say
“I was 38 with three young children when my wife died. Meeting fellow WAY members became a lifeline, having no family support the local group became my family. The WAY foundation saved me at the time I felt greatest loss and helped pull me through to where I am now.”
“WAY gave me the confidence to move on, and it was an invaluable comfort and support for our family to meet others going through a similarly dreadful experience.”
WAY membership is only open to those widowed at 50 or under, because of the rules governing our charitable status. If you were widowed at 51 or above, you are welcome to join a new group that was formed in 2009. It began as an online group, but members are meeting up in various places across the country. You can find out more here.
