Television personality and BBC Race Across the World Winner Alfie Watts will release his debut single, Hopeless Wings, on the 31st of October to raise funds for Winston’s Wish. 

As an ambassador for the UK’s first children and young people’s bereavement charity, Alfie is keen to be a grief advocate for young people as well as raising awareness and funds for Winston’s Wish. 

He says “I feel like it’s important to find creative ways to channel my grief. When you are bereaved, especially at a young age, it can feel like you’ve been dealt a huge blow and are at a considerable disadvantage to your peers but there’s a big piece of me that is keen to try and break that mould and challenge myself along the way.” 

Alfie recently became an ambassador for Winston’s Wish and uses his experience and voice to be an advocate for grieving young people.  

A lot of the time people assume that I’m constantly sitting with my grief and while I can’t deny that it is part of my history.

 

Alfie Watts

“My Mum died when I was 5 and everyday I’m aware of that but I don’t want it to define me. I am keen to try and make something with what I can and if I can use something as creative as music to do that, then I feel like I’ve achieved something and have grown as a person with grief. That’s why I decided to sit down and record my charity single, Hopeless Wings, which will also raise funds for Winston’s Wish for whom I am an ambassador.” 

Alfie recently recorded his single in a studio in Cambridge and filmed the music video whilst on his travels abroad in Norway. The inspiration came whilst filming the BBC hit show Race Across the World which Alfie won along with his friend Owen. “I actually wrote the lyrics for the chorus on a bus when we were filming Race Across the World. The lyrics just naturally flowed, and it felt significant to be feeling my grief even at a time when I was completely distracted by the competition.”  

Alfie recalls, “Spending time writing and recording the song and music video was, at times, incredibly raw because you can’t move away from the lyrics and what you are trying to communicate but it is also a powerful feeling. It’s not always easy for young people to know how to handle their emotions so I’m pleased to have challenged myself to have to express my grief and it felt powerful. 

“Getting into the studio was also such an amazing experience. When you’re facing the microphone and you’re seeing your emotions, your words and the thoughts they carry match with the music, it really brings it home to you what you are there for and that can be incredibly cathartic. Music connects people too so in a way, it helps me to feel connected to the thought of my mum too which felt significant.

“As well as there being a big piece of this which is about my own experiences of grief, I want this to be about other young people who have experienced bereavement in their younger years too. That’s why I decided to bare my nerves and release it publicly as I want to help raise funds for Winston’s Wish who directly support children and young people when their lives are turned upside down by bereavement, like mine was.  

“I want as many young people as possible to know about this special charity and the support that is out there and designed just for them. Obviously, although they offer their instant bereavement support free of charge, each day there are people answering helpline calls and working behind the scenes to provide services to young people, parents, teachers and others who are coping with a bereavement. For me, fundraising is a key part of what I want to do to support the charity so that they can continue to make sure that no child has to grieve alone.” 

Hopeless Wings is Alfie’s debut single and is available from the 31st of October on iTunes and Apple with all proceeds going to Winston’s Wish. Keep an eye on socials for the latest updates!

Winston’s Wish is delighted to be welcoming its newest Ambassador, Alfie Watts. Many will recognise Alfie as the recent star of the BBC hit series Race Across the World where he revealed his own personal story of childhood bereavement during an especially poignant moment during his race to the finish line in which he remembered his Mum. 

Alfie’s Mum died when he was just five years old after she was diagnosed with cancer when he was only a newborn. Alfie recalls his mother’s determination to see him to his first day of school, “My Mum’s number one aim was to see me in school. She said, that ‘If I’m going to die, then at least, I’m going to die whilst he’s in school.’ And she did, she died when I was five.  

Over time she created a memory box with messages and photos and all kinds of things. She took me to my first day of school and I think it was a proud moment for her when she took me, but it was a deterioration from there, she’d pushed as far as she could and by Christmas of 2008, it was just a bridge too far

Alfie Watts, Winston’s Wish Ambassador

Alfie’s grief was triggered during a poignant moment in the series, he recalls, “I always knew that that moment would come up when it would be appropriate to remember my mum during the show. Part of me that always knew that there would be a right moment to open up about it; it felt necessary.” 

Viewers will recall when Alfie and Owen arrived in the beautiful Vietnamese city of Hoi An which is famed for its canals and lanterns, lit to remember deceased relatives. “Seeing all the lanterns in Hoi An was a beautiful yet bizarre experience,” recalls Alfie. “It was triggering because it took me right back to when I was younger; each year, we had a tradition in my family that we would light a lantern to remember my Mum, and we’d write a little message. Reigniting that moment was as special as it was poignant.” 

Now aged 21, with a hit television series under his belt, Alfie is keen to be a voice for bereaved young people and champion grief advocacy. He explains, “For me, growing up without my Mum was my normal. It wasn’t a nice normal, but it was my normal, I simply didn’t know anything else. It’s hard for other people who haven’t been bereaved to empathise with.  

“I was aware of charities like Winston’s Wish when I was younger, and I’m delighted to now be an ambassador for such an important charity that is reaching the thousands of young people across the UK who are in a similar situation to me.” 

Winston’s Wish is excited to welcome Alfie Watts as the charity’s newest ambassador and looks forward to working with him to raise awareness for the charity and its service.  

I wanted to do something incredible with Race Across the World, and telling my story about how my mum passed away when I was five, I knew that I wanted to follow that up by being a male voice in the community.

Alfie Watts, Winston’s Wish Ambassador

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Alfie’s charity single

In October 2024 our Ambassador Alfie, released his single, Hopeless Wings, to raise awareness and funds for Winston’s Wish.

Alfie is keen to be a leading voice in the grief community, especially for young males and hopes his new single will do just that!

Volunteer for Winston’s Wish!

Do something amazing by becoming a volunteer and help spread the word about Winston’s Wish.

Whether you’re championing Winston’s Wish in your local area, cheering on our fundraisers at the finish line or letting everyone know how to get support if they need it, by volunteering you can make a difference.