I've raised £5000 to support a project at the Guille-Allès Library, in memory of Jodie Knight, a great friend and the Library’s Deputy Chief Librarian.
Organised by Paul Gosling
Story
I grew up in Kent and, like most kids I knew, my only experience of the sea was when we went on holiday once a year, if we were lucky, to the seaside.
When I was in my early 20s, I started working as a futures trader on the LIFFE exchange in the City. It was a fast and furious job that came to an abrupt end in 1998 when trading moved online. At that time, my cousin lived in Guernsey and I moved over on a one-way ticket. It was love at first sight.
The months rolled into years, and I eventually made the move from finance into a new career I was passionate about, remedial massage therapy. I set up Equilibrium in my back room in May 2010, before moving to St Peter Port premises, where I am still based, in 2013.
I am married to a very tolerant woman and blessed to have two beautiful sons, Ben, 13, and Reggie, 4.
When I moved to Guernsey I had a chronic fear of the sea. Fear of the unknown, of deep water and being out of depth, in every sense.
I went from dipping my toe in during the summer of 2019, to taking swimming more seriously at the beginning of 2020 when I embarked on more ambitious sea swims. I loved the freedom of being out in the sea, it was really good for my mental health, in what was a very tough year.
At the beginning of this year, I decided to sign up for the Paradise Island swim, a three mile swim from Guernsey to Herm, due to take place on the 1st August. Something that will challenge me both physically and mentally.
The personal goals I began achieving motivated me to think big. I am determined to see this as an adventure and not something to be fearful of - as well as an opportunity to raise money for something incredible for the Island community.
At the end of 2020, an already awful year, the unthinkable happened. One of our closest friends, Jodie, passed away with very little warning, to cancer.
She was almost 45. Jodie was a brilliant, articulate and wonderful person. As Deputy Chief Librarian at the Guille-Allès Library, she was quietly passionate about books, in particular igniting and encouraging that spark for reading in us all from a young age. Something she did brilliantly and effortlessly.
In her memory, I would like to raise money for an exciting new area at her beloved Library to help carry on her work, in her name.
I am delighted, humbled and very thankful to Livingroom estate agents who have chosen to sponsor me in this journey, and kickstart fundraising with an incredible £2,000.
