Since I was young I had issues with pain and joint instability. Doctors would frequently send me for various tests, however they would all return normal. This gave me determination to push through and try to become stronger. I would run around the countryside, Live Role-Playing (https://wikipedia.org/wiki/Live_action_role-playing_game), I joined re-enactment groups (https://wikipedia.org/wiki/Combat_reenactment) and practiced martial arts. Anything that would push my level of fitness up, but still allowed me to pursue my love for the theatrical arts.

In 2011 I was fortunate enough to turn my passion into a profession. I started working at Zombie Survival Experience Events, acting as both a member of the undead and living "guides" for paying customers as they survived an immersive theatrical experience; my most recent employer being Zed Events. The job was extremely physically demanding, but I loved it.

As the years ticked over, rather than noticing my fitness levels improving, sadly I was finding my job more and more difficult. I was suffering from chronic pain, fatigue and my joints were becoming more prone to giving way. I visited many specialists in order to find an explanation, and after a couple of years, a geneticist diagnosed me with a rare genetic disorder called Hypermobile Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/ehlers-danlos-syndromes). Sadly there is no cure, and the only physical activity that my doctors permit me to do is in water, where my joints are protected, but my muscles still get a good level of exercise.

Due to cuts in the council's budget, public baths are either closing down, or the water is not heated enough, causing painful muscle spasms, which in turn wrench my joints out of their sockets. On top of that -all- of the NHS hydrotherapy pools in my area have been closed so now my only option is to seek help from private physiotherapists. This will initially cost around £120 a week to have any impact.