Derbyshire widow who remarried a man she met at a grief support group says Jo Cox's husband "deserves a second chance at love" too

Ruth Vowles, 71, and George Palmer, 86, faced separate heartbreak after they both lost their partners during lockdown in 2020 just three months apart.

Ruth, of Sandiacre, decided to join a bereavement group at Treetops Hospice, in Derby, to help her get over the death of her husband in September 2020.

There she met George, who was also grieving the death of his son David, when he joined in April 2021 and a friendship quickly blossomed.

After a whirlwind romance, George popped the question in the romantic setting in the gardens of the Palazzo Pfanner in Lucca, Italy, in May last year. The couple wed in October last year surrounded by close family members.

It was reported this week that the husband of murdered MP Jo Cox, Brendan Cox, is to remarry seven years after his wife's death.

As a remarried widow herself, Ruth insists that others should "definitely look for love again" after losing a loved one and that it "doesn't mean you've forgotten".

The grandmother-of-four said: ""I definitely think it's a good thing that he's been able to let love in again.

"I'm optimistic that you can find happiness with more than one person in this lifetime - it doesn't mean you've forgotten. I must admit that I wasn't the sort of person who wanted to be alone. My eldest wasn't surprised when I remarried.

"It was challenging at times and I cried a bit at the wedding but we're both much happier now. When people see George they say how much younger and how well he looks. He's a much happier person and so am I. I would definitely encourage widows to meet other people. Even if you have family close by it's not the same thing as having a partner.

"Remarrying doesn't mean you've forgotten. We speak about Steve and Liz all the time. It's hard being on your own and I'm optimistic that there's not just one person that you can be happy with. You shouldn't have to miss out on the opportunity to experience life with someone new. I definitely think everyone deserves a second chance at love."

Ruth’s husband of 42 years Steve died in July 2020, aged 68, having had two strokes and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. George had sadly lost Liz, his wife of 61 years, in April that year following a battle with terminal lung cancer.

Ruth said that George is "completely different to Steve" and they have a "very different marriage".

The couple tied the knot at Gibraltar's Botanical Gardens and had a party back at Treetops Hospice organised by staff.

George, a grandad-of-four and a retired RAF aircraft engineer added: “After you’ve been with someone else for so long, you disappear into your own little world.

"Certain people bring you out of it. One was my daughter-in-law, one was Julie the group leader at Treetops and the other was Ruth. We got talking over curtain hooks on WhatsApp. We understand that we both loved our partners before - but we both fit and we both love each other.

"Married life is good and we're looking forward to our future together.” Ruth, a retired teacher said: "Hopefully our story will give other people hope who have lost a loved one.

"We both miss our partners terribly but I don't think either of them would have wanted us to be on our own and sometimes you have to take risks in life.

"We hope people realise that it is possible to love more than one person in this life and us getting married again doesn’t detract from our previous, very happy marriages."