Mytime Active Stories - June

From rock bottom to the pool...

For 65-year-old June, who lives in Bromley and is a long-time bank employee, the aftershock of working throughout the pandemic hit with a force. June found that once the world began to return to a sense of normalcy, her own internal world began to fracture.

The job she had known for years had changed dramatically; she felt anxious and exhausted, leading to mental health issues. Signed off for six months with stress and anxiety, June found herself feeling lost. After a brief, unsuccessful attempt to return to work, she hit rock bottom and took redundancy. For three months the curtains stayed drawn; she wasn't showering, she wasn't eating properly, and she wasn't leaving her bed. June says: “I wasn’t really living, I was simply existing.”

The road to recovery began with a small, terrifying step. Encouraged by her two sons and a counsellor to find something for herself, June decided to revisit an old hobby; swimming.

June explains: “I used to love swimming and wondered if might like it again. However, the simple act of going to the pool was such an emotional challenge for me. I remember it so clearly. It was a Tuesday morning and I was so scared on the way to Mytime Active’s Walnuts Leisure Centre that, when I finally got to the front desk, I was almost paralysed by fear, unable to find the words to ask for a swim. The receptionist was really kind and, despite my nerves, I made it into the water.”

During her first swim, she watched a group of people in an aqua class, jumping to music and visibly enjoying themselves. June says: “I wondered if maybe I could do that, as it looked like fun. At the front desk on my way out I asked what class it was and, with a gentle nudge of encouragement from the helpful receptionist, found myself booked in for the following week. I tried to remind myself, don’t overthink. Just give it a try.”

Now in 2026, three years later, June is a different woman. She explains: “I attend at least four classes a week, including Aqua Zumba. I follow my aqua class with a swim. Like everyone, I still have the odd tricky day, but these classes give me the push to get up and not dwell on a bad day. The classes have provided me with more than just physical exercise; they’ve offered me a vital routine and a real sense of belonging. I love the music, the smile and enthusiasm from all the instructors, and I always feel better and happier after being in the pool. My sons can always tell if I’ve been to the pool in the morning because my mood is lighter.

“I also struggle from seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and even on grey mornings, when I perhaps want to stay home, going out and getting in the water gives me a feeling like the sunshine.”

Reflecting on her early days of coming to the pool June says: “For the first four to five months I would stand at the side of the pool, hugging my towel to my body, pretending not to be there. Now I don’t even give it a second thought. We’ve all got lumps and bumps, and it’s daft to worry about what you look like in a swim suit. No one is looking.  No one cares. All the people who come to swim or take part in aqua exercise classes are so welcoming and friendly. We are a real community.

“Since starting my regular aqua exercises my physical health has improved. I have fantastic core strength and I am much stronger, have better balance and better overall physicality too. Exercising in the pool is a real workout due to the resistance of the water. But because of natural buoyancy, it doesn’t impact my joints.”

Beyond the physical benefits, Mytime Active has become one of June’s primary support systems. June says: “The instructors bring such an atmosphere of joy and acceptance to every lesson that lingers long after the music stops. The are fantastic, and I really couldn’t thank them enough for their support over the years.”

Today her sons are proud of their mother’s zest for life and her get up and go. The pool is not just a place to exercise, it’s the place where she reclaimed her identity. She says: “The aqua classes at Mytime Active have really been my saviour. I just want to be me again and, on the whole, that’s who I am.”