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summer 22 natural clinics

forum magazine caught up with Jen Freeman, founder of Be Found Be Chosen and avid swimmer, to wade through her relationship with the open water…

Jen’s love affair with the open water was born through a heartbreaking loss. An avid horse rider and animal lover, the sudden death of her black mare in 2021 had stripped Jen of her fervour for the great outdoors. It wasn’t until a fleeting drive past the arresting beauty of the North East coastline triggered an urge. “I’m 43 and I’ve had horses all my life. I had a lovely black mare - who was wonderful and the love of my life - she died last year and I tried my utmost to replace her. I slowly came around to realising that some things are just irreplaceable and that I wasn’t going to succeed. It was a tough period and it was the first time in my life that I didn’t have a purpose to be enjoying the outdoors. "I love the sea, the coast and just thought ‘I’m going to get in the water’. At first, that was a massive problem as I have always been the coldest person in the world. Even when I was riding my horses, you could always find me with 42 layers and a fleeced hat all year. "This was a huge hurdle to overcome and so I tried cryotherapy. It was by chance, that the treatment reset my internal temperature and allowed me to walk straight in without any issues - it’s also allowed me to save a fortune on the heating bills too…” The rush of adrenaline, the sweeping feeling of rich blood pumping from head to toe and the intensified senses meant Jen had fallen in love with a new hobby. Add in the fact that Jen chose a serene spot in Northumberland - a place straight out of a Scandinavian photobook - and it’s no surprise that the water had claimed another die-hard fan. We pushed Jen for the exact location, but she’s sworn to secrecy… “For my first swim, I made sure I picked an incredibly beautiful spot in a secret location in Northumberland. I found it incredibly difficult to get in as it was excruciatingly cold. It was a special pain that I won’t forget in a hurry! "Slowly over a few months, my tolerance to the cold improved to the point where I no longer feel that breathtaking sensation. It doesn’t register with me now thankfully.” An increasingly popular pastime, some swimmers have ventured into the water as a mechanism to boost their mental health, maintain physical fitness or reconnect with planet earth. But what was the attraction for Jen? Simple, to unleash her inner thrillseeker and meet new people. “There’s a budding group of swimmers starting to come together. Gradually over the summer, my friend began venturing into the water with me and from there, we’ve met tonnes of people through our newfound love of swimming.

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Regardless of whether you want to swim, I'd say it's vitally important that everyone has some form of activity to take their mind away from everyday stresses.

"We light a fire on the beach and the magical part is, that folks tend to gravitate toward it which means there are around six of us now who meet every night. Lee, who is a regular and now one of our best friends taught us how to bodyboard. It's great for meeting new people.” For many, even thinking about a foray into a notorious body of water such as the North Sea would strike terror into hearts. But for Jen, there’s nothing quite like the intense tranquillity she experiences floating atop those waves with the stars twinkling overhead. “I completely switch off and I just have fun. One of the reasons I fell in love with horseriding was the total focus required when out and about. The constant threat of falling 6ft and suffering serious or life-threatening injuries meant my headspace went to a different dimension. "With the ocean, it’s a similar feeling. You can feel the stresses, distractions and worries seep away. Out on the open water, you’re not thinking about work, you’re not thinking about people - you’re just concentrating on the next wave. Your mind is solely focused on the present. It’s like being a kid, all I do every night is play. It’s the best feeling in the world.” In the space of 12 months, Jen has swum in pretty much every weather condition you can imagine and despite such varying climates, one thing remains the same. Jen’s unbreakable enthusiasm for the waves. “I’ve swam in ice, snow, gale-force winds when it’s been pitch-black - you name it, I’ve experienced it. I don’t think there’s anything new that would put me off or scare me from going in the water - it’s quite a liberating feeling.” It doesn’t take an astrophysicist to know that the North Sea is cold for 12 months of the year, but the benefits of reconnecting with the great outdoors and experiencing the region’s thriving wildlife firsthand far outweigh the chill for Jen. "Last summer, we got ‘jellyfished’. A huge cod jumped out of the water and we thought it was some divine encounter with nature when really, this poor fish was trying to escape a pod of jellyfish. You don’t realise you have been stung until you’re back in the car and let me tell you, the sting is painful. "Early one morning during the summer, I’m out on my board at Longsands Tynemouth and it’s so peaceful. We’re swimming out, chatting and just taking it all in. All of a sudden, a seal bursts up out of the water and pops his great-big head onto the edge of my board! It was the most surreal experience! "One evening I’ll never forget only occurred recently. I was out with a group of friends, watching the Tynemouth from a distance and everyone began shouting ‘Look! Look!’ - I looked down at the water in a panic and while I’m gazing at the water, a huge meteorite soared directly above our heads. Luckily enough, I managed to see a meteor shower a few weeks after. You see all sorts in the night sky.” Jen’s enthusiasm for being cold and wet at ungodly hours is infectious. For anyone thinking of taking the plunge, look out for a golden fire roaring 30ft away from Tynemouth Outdoor Pool. You’ll see a group of wetsuit clad Northerners having a whale of a time… “Everyone is more than welcome to join and it’s kind of hard to miss us really. You’ll spot us from afar with a roaring fire, relaxing and speaking with swimmers and surfers - you name it. The more people the merrier. Regardless of whether you want to swim, I’d say it’s vitally important that everyone has some form of activity to take their mind away from everyday stresses. "This is the one sport that allows you to switch your mind off. You’ll feel physically and mentally, like a new person, and you’re certain to roll around with laughter and sheer enjoyment.” Jen’s word of advice for business leaders feeling the pressure? Slow down, recentre and take stock of what the North East has to offer. "It’s not all bells and whistles running a business at the best of times. As I’m sure many will agree, it’s pretty stressful and so the swimming and bodyboarding provide me with an outlet. "It’s free and if you’re from the North East, it’s literally on your doorstep. Nature is wonderful and it’s there, waiting to be explored and enjoyed without costing a single penny. It would be a crime to have something so exhilarating and beautiful right in front of you and never experience it. My advice would be to stop, slow down and realise what you have got. What’s the worst thing that can happen? You get cold and wet? That sounds like any old day in Newcastle."