Emma becomes an Ambassador for the charity Widowed And Young!

We are delighted to announce that Emma has recently been appointed an Ambassador for the UK charity Widowed and Young (WAY). Founded in 1997, WAY has created a fantastic peer-to-peer support network for anyone who has lost a partner before their 51st birthday. Now with over 4,000 members, the charity aims to provide emotional and practical support to young, widowed people as they adjust to life after the death of their partner, married or not, with or without children, whatever their sexual orientation.

Emma originally joined WAY after her husband died, but found she did not have the heart to engage with the bereaved community whilst she struggled with the concept of being a widow. Over four years later, Emma discovered that a secondary loss related to her husband’s death was the reduced link her family had with the military. Emma’s husband was a Royal Marine and she wanted to reconnect with like-minded people. In December 2020 Emma asked, and was given permission, to start a WAY Facebook Military Subgroup. Having been unable to open up to the larger WAY community, Emma finds it easier to navigate life after loss by connecting with other bereaved individuals with a military connection.

Emma is very proud to have been asked to represent WAY as an Ambassadors as these volunteers are hand-picked for their commitment and dedication to the charity as well as being people who represent WAY's membership. Emma hopes her new position will enable her to promote WAY and help other bereaved individuals, particularly within the military community.

For more information about Emma’s appointment and the WAY charity click here.

Here are Emma’s thoughts…

Lean on charities: there are lots of fantastic charities, sometimes it takes a while to find the one that makes you feel most at home.
Huge honour: becoming an Ambassador is a privilege and Emma hopes she can help to spread the word about the important support this charity gives, particularly amongst the military community.
Find your sub-group: sometimes the sheer number of people in a community can feel overwhelming, you might be able to find a smaller group of like-minded people.

“Unfortunately, there’s no guide book for grief. Everyone is different, and no two people will experience grieving in the same way. From numbness to anger, from disbelief to guilt, there’s no set pattern to the grieving process, especially when you’ve been widowed at a young age.”