Sale man 'terrified of fish' to swim 'English Channel'
Nick Jamieson-Jones, Sale resident and assistant manager at Oppio Lounge in Altrincham, is plunging into a month-long challenge at Total Fitness in Altrincham to raise funds for Francis House Children’s Hospice.
Nick Jamieson-Jones © Karen Flower
Starting on 01 June, Nick will swim 45 lengths of the 25-metre pool every day for 30 days, covering a total of 21 miles – the narrowest point of the English Channel.
The initiative is part of 'LoungeAid' an annual fundraising event organised by Lounge all-day café bar sites across the UK. Nick has set a goal of raising £1,000 for the hospice.
The 36-year-old former professional dancer became a regular at the gym after hanging up his dance shoes in 2019. Nick chose the gym for its pool but had never used it until he saw the Swim 21 challenge advertised on a noticeboard.
“I wanted to do something big and a physical challenge. It was the perfect opportunity to combine the fundraising for an amazing charity with working full-time,” said Nick. “I can come before or after work as the gym is open from early in the morning until late in the evening.”
To prepare for the challenge, Nick has been swimming two or three times a week. With 33,796 metres to cover, speed isn’t his priority. Nick’s approach is to take his time in the slow lane listening to a playlist of more than 800 songs with his waterproof headphones.
Nick said: “I swam when I was very young, but I stopped in my early teens and never really got back to it. It is taking me just over an hour to swim 45 lengths. I get into work after a swim, and I feel wide awake. My colleagues have noticed it and it’s already proving beneficial. I wasn’t expecting that, I genuinely thought I’d be more tired but at the same time it’s for such a good cause.”
Nick officially starts his challenge on 01 June, but donations have already started to come in © Karen Flower
From its base in Didsbury, Francis House Children’s Hospice supports more than 600 families from across Greater Manchester, providing a range of services including respite care, homecare, sibling support, end of life care and bereavement support to children and young adults with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions.
A visit to the hospice on an open day further inspired Nick to raise as much money as possible.
Nick said: “I was taken on a tour of the hospice by one of the care team. I already had some basic idea of what a hospice does in terms of bereavement but when I walked through the kitchen dining area I was amazed, it was so open and much bigger than I thought it would be.
“Francis House calls itself a home from home, and Lounges calls itself a lounge away from home. Seeing inside Francis House and how it’s not at all like a hospital, all the equipment is hidden away and that it's a place for all the family to relax really motivated me.”
The hospice has three “rainbow rooms” - the cooled rooms where a child can go after they have died and their family can spend as much time with them as they need before the funeral.
Nick said: “Of course, I felt quite emotional when I saw the rainbow rooms. That choked me up a bit. Hearing how important that time is for families motivated me to do as much as I possibly can for Francis House.”
The target for ‘LoungeAid’ is £500 for each Lounge. With support from the community Nick is confident Oppio Lounge will double that. Nick officially begins his swim on 01 June but has already seen donations come in.
Nick has no desire to swim the English Channel for real with a lifelong phobia of fish.
“I’m terrified of the sea. That’s why I’m doing the equivalent miles in a pool. I’m not sure why, fish freak me out I don’t even eat them. For me, the beach is the worst thing ever. I don’t think I could survive on a cruise ship either.”
