I've made a very last minute decision to do a sponsored swim — at 5am on Sunday 12th as part of the Jubileeathon!

Why the sudden decision to jump in?
Well… it’s connected to some big health news. Four months ago, I had an emergency operation for a brain aneurysm. For the last month, the Jubilee Pool and gym — a community-run, saved-from-closure space — has been a huge part of my recovery. Physically, yes, but even more so mentally.

Recovery’s been… wild. I had a strong reaction to the high-dose steroids used to reduce inflammation in my brain — they made me extremely hyper, to the point I sometimes struggled to feel sane. Things have calmed down a lot since then, but in September a new challenge appeared: the crash. The low that followed all that intensity hit hard.

And that’s where Jubilee Pool came in. After school drop-offs, going to the gym or pool has become such an important part of my day. The feel-good chemicals released by my brain through even light exercise have helped rebuild my physical strength — but more importantly, they’ve supported my mental health. Just being able to go has helped lift me when I needed it most.

So this (slow) swim is a thank-you to that space — and a little marker of how far things have come. I chose the 5am slot because it's a time I remember very clearly from four months ago, when I lay awake contemplating so many different scenarios for the future.