“Sunday is the longest day of the week when you’ve lost the love of your life”

Three Gloucestershire widowers launch a new Brotherhood to tackle loneliness after partner loss, inviting other men to join their inaugural walk on Cleeve Hill on Saturday 12 December.
Three Gloucestershire men, united by the heartbreak of losing their wives, are launching a new movement to tackle loneliness and isolation amongst men who have experienced the death of their life partner.
The Widowers Brotherhood, founded by Cordell Ray MBE, Duncan Ross-Lee and Roy Francis, will hold its inaugural public gathering on Saturday 12 December 2026 at 11am, meeting at Cleeve Hill Golf Club, Cheltenham.
The men will walk together across Cleeve Hill to the Wash Pools before returning to the clubhouse for warm drinks, conversation and an opportunity to make new friendships.
Any man who has lost his wife, husband or partner is warmly invited to join them, regardless of age or how long ago their partner died.
The Brotherhood was born from the founders’ shared experiences of grief and a growing recognition that men can become profoundly isolated after losing the person with whom they shared their lives.
For many widowers, the loss goes far beyond bereavement. It can mean losing their closest friend, daily companion, social life and the future they had imagined together.
And for many, Sunday becomes the hardest day of all. Cordell Ray MBE lost his beloved wife Ramona in August 2025. He explains:
“When you lose the love of your life, you don’t just lose the person you adored. You lose the future you had planned together. All those conversations about retirement, the places you might visit, the things you would do together. Suddenly, those dreams disappear too.

“I have discovered that you can be surrounded by people and still feel desperately lonely. And Sundays? Sundays are the longest days of the week when your soulmate is no longer beside you. Bank Holidays are even worse, almost like two Sundays in one go.
“That’s where the idea began. What if we could bring men together who understand that loneliness? Not to fix each other, because grief doesn’t work like that, but to offer friendship, companionship and perhaps something to look forward to?”
The three founding brothers bring very different experiences of widowhood.
Duncan Ross-Lee lost his wife when his daughter just a baby, facing the extraordinary challenge of raising a young family while navigating his own grief. His experience highlights the immense emotional and practical responsibilities that can fall upon a father following the death of his partner.
Roy Francis was married for 42 years before losing his wife, leaving him to adjust to life without the person who had shared more than four decades of memories, companionship and everyday routines.
Cordell Ray MBE brings the more recent experience of losing Ramona, after 26 years coupled, and the profound loneliness that can follow the loss of a soulmate.
Despite their very different circumstances, the three men discovered that they shared something powerful, that “We are three men who belong to a club none of us ever wanted to join,” Cordell continued.
“But when we came together, something quite remarkable happened. We talked openly about our wives, our sadness, our loneliness and the challenges of living without them. We laughed too.
“Nobody needed to explain why they felt the way they did. Everybody understood. “And we thought, why shouldn’t other men have that opportunity?”
The Widowers Brotherhood is an independent, volunteer-led movement built around friendship, practical support, shared experiences and helping men reconnect with life.
Beginning in Gloucestershire, the founders intend to organise regular monthly gatherings, walking groups, breakfasts, coffee mornings, social activities and opportunities for men to support one another.
Their longer term ambition is to establish local Brotherhood groups across the county and, eventually, nationally.
Importantly, the group is not exclusively for recently bereaved men or those who live alone. “Grief has no expiry date,” Cordell explained. “Whether you lost your partner six months ago or sixteen years ago, the loneliness can still be overwhelming. It doesn’t matter whether you’re 30 or 80. We all need friendship, connection and a sense of belonging.
“We don’t want men to feel they have to sit in a room talking about their grief. Sometimes the best conversations happen when you’re walking alongside someone. Sometimes it’s just nice to have a coffee with another bloke who understands.”

The Brotherhood’s first public event will take place on Saturday 12 December, just two weeks before Christmas, a time of year that can be particularly difficult for people facing life without their partner.
The founders hope other widowers from across Gloucestershire will join them for a relaxed walk over Cleeve Hill, followed by warm drinks and conversation at Cleeve Hill Golf Club.
There will be no pressure to speak about personal experiences or share anything that feels uncomfortable. The invitation is simply to come along, meet other men and take that first step towards friendship.
The founding brothers are also encouraging local businesses, funeral directors, hospices, healthcare professionals, community groups and families to help spread the word.
While Gloucestershire benefits from a range of excellent bereavement services and support groups for widowed people, the founders identified a gap in provision specifically for men who have lost their life partner. The Widowers Brotherhood aims to fill that gap, creating a safe, welcoming space where men can find friendship, understanding and support from others who have walked the same difficult path.
“We have a simple ambition,” Cordell concluded. “If a man gets up on a Saturday morning, joins us for a walk, has a laugh, makes a new friend and goes home feeling that little bit less alone, then we’ve achieved something worthwhile.
“And if we can eventually do that for hundreds of men, just imagine the difference we could make. “We may have lost our soulmates, but we don’t have to lose our sense of belonging, friendship or hope.”
Join the inaugural Widowers Brotherhood walk
Date: Saturday 12 December 2026
Time: 11.00am
Meeting point: Cleeve Hill Golf Club, Wickfield Lane, Cleeve Hill, Cheltenham, GL52 3PW.
The walk: From the Golf Club across Cleeve Hill to the Wash Pools, returning to the clubhouse for warm drinks and conversation.
Who can attend: Men of any age who have lost a wife, husband or partner, whether recently or many years ago.
What to bring: Suitable walking footwear and warm, weather-appropriate clothing.

Further information and joining details: www.widowersbrotherhood.com
Please check the website before travelling for final arrangements and any weather-related changes.

The Widowers Brotherhood — By Blokes, For Blokes. Together, Through It All.

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