Manchester-based entrepreneur and widowed founder Nicky Wake has launched The Widowed Collective, a new not-for-profit community interest company (CIC) offering support to people who have lost a life partner.

Nicky Wake, who previously founded Chapter 2 Dating and WidowsFire, created the CIC after her own bereavement highlighted how isolating widowhood can be.

The Widowed Collective provides a safe and supportive space where members can connect, share experiences, access practical advice and also enjoy social, fun ways to meet others who truly understand. It is open to widows and widowers of all ages, backgrounds and circumstances.

Described as “a club no one wants to join, but once you’re in, you’re not alone”, the community is designed by the widowed, for the widowed. It focuses on peer-to-peer support, solidarity and truth, avoiding platitudes, pity or pressure to “move on.”

Membership is free and includes access to resources, a private forum and a calendar of online and in-person events.

The first in-person event, The Widowed Collective Social, takes place on Thursday 2 October from 6–9pm at The Alchemist on New York Street, Manchester. It will be a warm and relaxed gathering where attendees can meet, connect with others and hear more about the project. While donations are welcome to help cover costs such as venue hire and training, there is no obligation to give.

The organisation is also recruiting Widowed Collective Advocates to help shape its future, whether by leading local groups, supporting fundraising, or contributing to strategy and governance.

As well as establishing a strong presence in Manchester and across the UK, The Widowed Collective is fundraising to expand into the United States.

Nicky Wake, founder of The Widowed Collective, said: “Whether your loss happened last week or ten years ago, you belong here. The Widowed Collective is about recognising that grief doesn’t come with a timeline and that no two journeys look the same. We’re here to walk alongside them, however long it takes.

“The Widowed Collective isn’t a charity, but a CIC, which gives us greater flexibility in how we support members and the activities we deliver. Every penny goes straight back into growing the community.

“This is a community where you can talk about the things others might shy away from, the loneliness, the anger, the guilt, the hope for a different kind of future. It’s about truth, solidarity and connection, and knowing there are people who understand because they’ve been through it too.

“Together, we can build something positive out of the hardest experiences of our lives. We want it to be a place of real hope, real tools and real connection for anyone who has lost a partner.”