My beautiful brilliant wife Jo died in January after 6 months of illness. 

There were some days where the grief and the shock just became so overwhelming I didn't know which way was up. 

Being LGBT+ was also an unnecessary barrier, generic services were ok and really tried to offer me help and support. But having to constantly remind them that it was my wife who had died not my husband was becoming a real drain. 

Then I discovered the LGBT+ cafe run by The Good Grief Trust and I have made connections and new friends who just really get the subtle nuance that being in a same sex relationship has. It also insured that I had a safe secure place to talk about my grief and life with Jo without feeling guilty that I was putting on others. 

So now I would like to give them something back. So I have set myself a 1600mile walking challenge to complete between now and the end of the year, ignorer to raise some much needed funds for this fantastic organisation.

The Good Grief Trust aims to raise awareness of issues around bereavement and try to change the way we deal with this taboo subject in the UK, ensure acknowledgement of the potentially severe effects of grief and encourage us all to talk it about it more openly