WAY's North East Area Contact in the news

Gaynor Williams, who runs WAY in the North East along with Debbie Knivett, is featured in The Northern Echo today, talking about WAY and how it helped her after her husband died.

You can read her interview here.

International Widows Day Media Coverage

Caroline Doughty, WAY’s Chairman, and Brian Smith, a WAY member from Godalming, were interviewed this morning on BBC Southern Counties radio about being widowed young and bringing up their children alone.

The show’s producer Mandy de Souza said the interview ”was really strong and we got a number of calls from widows/widowers off the back too, so it clearly had an impact”.  

We are aiming to get a link on the WAY website to some of the radio interviews we’ve done as they are only available on iPlayer for a week. Watch this space!

Father's Day Press Coverage

Facing Father’s Day without Dad was the subject of an article in Friday’s Edinburgh Evening News, featuring me, (WAY’s Press Officer Linsay Black) and another WAY member in Edinburgh, Yvette Brough.  The story mentioned WAY and the challenges of bringing up your child alone following the death of your partner.

You can read the story here.

WAY on the radio again

WAY Chairman Caroline Doughty is on the radio twice today! 

She is being interviewed on BBC Radio Manchester’s Heather Stott programme at about 11.10 this morning.  She’ll be talking about being a young widow and sharing some thoughts from the book she wrote “If There’s Anything I Can Do…”  a guide for friends and families of the recently bereaved based on her own and her friends’ experiences.

Then at 12 noon (ah, the life of a media superstar!) she dons the headphones again for BBC Radio Coventry & Warwickshire’s Annie Othen Show, along with Coventry WAY member Derek Fraser, to talk about bringing up your children alone.  Derek’s wife Mandy died eight years ago when their three children were under five.

You can listen through the magic of the BBC i-player and we will also try to put up a recording on the WAY website - watch this space.

Word Spreads …………..

Having been interviewed on BBC Radio Solent from the BBC Radio Devon studio this afternoon, WAY Chairman Caroline Doughty was “kidnapped” by one of the Radio Devon presenters for another interview about WAY on his show; being a young widow; bringing up her daughters alone…. etc.  She was surprised, in a good way, that the first question was “Tell us about Nick”  Very few people ask about the partner you have lost and she was pleased to talk about him, even though she was a bit thrown by the question!

I tried to use the listen again service, but it did not seem to be working – we are hoping to get lots of radio interviews up on the WAY website soon – watch this space.

WAY Chairman on local radio show today

Caroline Doughty, WAY’s Chairman and Isle of Wight WAY member Stephen Ward are being interviewed on BBC Radio Solent’s Charlie Crocker Show at 1.30 pm today.  They will be talking about what it is like to bring up your children alone after your partner has died, tying in with Father’s Day on Sunday and International Widow’s Day next Tuesday June 23rd.

You can listen live through the BBC website or use the listen again facility.  We will also try to put a link on to the WAY website so that people can listen at leisure.

Spreading the word in Scotland

Last week Scottish WAY member Susan Brearley went to talk to a group of social workers who support bereaved people from across Scotland, in various different ways.

They had gathered for a full day’s agenda on bereavement care at the Marie Curie hospice in Edinburgh. Some work in palliative care and others specifically with children and so on.

“Although one or two had heard of WAY the others were not aware of our organisation. They were most interested and asked lots of questions specifically about how we could help if they referred anyone to us,” says Susan.

“I gave as much info as I could and they seemed pleased to have found WAY on behalf of those they helped.”

Promoting WAY

We’ve been given a great opportunity this year…to talk briefly about WAY at conferences around the country, being held for NHS staff and other bereavement support professionals.

I went to Maidstone on 27 May and faced an audience of 250!! A great way to get the word out about WAY and also meet up with other charities and learn from them. The conferences are being organised by Civil Funerals… and several friends from WAY are helping with future gatherings in London, Preston, Hove, Sheffield, Chelmsford and Caerphilly!

Jacqui’s jumping!

Brave WAY member Jacqui Smith is going to jump out of an aeroplane to raise money for WAY.

“I’ve always wanted to do a parachute jump, so I’m really excited about doing this,” she says.

She obviously has a head for adventure – during the WAY ski trip in Tignes in January Jacqui jumped off the top of a mountain and landed on skis, despite never having skiied in her life before. Three others joined her in the madness…

Jacqui is raising money for WAY at www.justgiving.com/jacquelinesmith14

If technology allows, we’ll post a video of the great event here – good luck Jacqui!

WAY chosen for Three Peaks

WAY has been chosen by a bunch of guys working for Bayer Pharmaceuticals, who are going to do the Three Peaks Challenge in October.

We’re really exicted about this as they have no connection with WAY other than working with someone who is related to an active WAY member.

When given the information about WAY they decided we were a great cause – and sadly quite a good fit for a company that is trying hard to find a drug that will successfully treat lung cancer.

The guys are gearing up with office events, evenings out, dressing up, swear boxes etc to get staff behind them for this challenge, and all money raised will be divided between three deserving causes, of which WAY is one.

Watch this space – we’ll keep you updated with the result!