Histon resident Natalie Yates shares with Amanda Borrill how a devastating life event reignited her love of the water; nurturing a renewed passion for nearby Jesus Green Lido and opening up an exciting new challenge as charity trustee.
Just a few miles down the road, tucked away off Chesterton Road in Cambridge, is the Jesus Green Lido. Open since 1923, this unheated pool offers a sanctuary from the heat and a place to refresh both physically and mentally. Loved by generations across the years, it has now also been open for four successive winters with visitor numbers increasing year-on-year.
Cold-water swimming is now widely recognised for its health benefits and for Histon resident, Natalie Yates, the pool has brought a new calm to her life. “I have fond memories of swimming at the Lido as a teenager”, reflects Natalie. “We’d head to the pool after school in the summer months and spend hours jumping in and sunbathing. As an only child, my parents used to say I was a complete fish (I am a Pisces, so I guess that correlates). They could never get me out of the water”. Demands of life and work took over in her 20s and 30s and Natalie fell out of love with swimming but a devastating loss in her 40s changed everything and her passion was reignited.
“My mum died suddenly in December 2019”, Natalie shares. “The following summer, after the first lockdown, I got in the sea in Cornwall. There was something about the ocean that made me really emotional, but was equally calming. Returning to Cambridge, I suggested to my neighbour that we head to the Lido for a dip – and the rest is history”. That August, Natalie, along with her husband and neighbour swam at the Lido three or four times a week; making a pact that they would try to swim for as long as possible into the autumn as the temperature fell. “I don’t think any of us thought it would last”, she laughs. “But come October, we were still swimming. As the water dipped below 15 degrees, we invested in wetsuits, and we’ve not stopped swimming since”.
The past two years have seen Natalie ditch the wetsuit and return to her costume all year round but, she warns, it is really important to be careful in the colder months, listen to your body and warm up correctly to avoid getting hypothermia.
An all round feel-good experience
“One of the reasons people are drawn to cold water swimming is the way it makes your body feel”, shares Natalie. “I’ve just turned 50 and have a bit of a crunchy neck and tight shoulders from spending too much time at my desk. I’ve found that the cold water takes any aches and pains away for several hours after I swim.
“It is also thought to have a positive effect on your metabolism and hormones. Repeated exposure to cold water is thought to activate brown fat – a special type of fat that burns calories to produce heat and help maintain your core body temperature. We don’t really burn this kind of fat anymore living in heated homes. With cold water swimming, as your body works harder to stay warm during and after a dip, you use more energy, which may provide a boost to your metabolism”.
Cold-water swimming is also well-known for its mood-boosting effects. The shock of the cold triggers the release of endorphins and other feel-good chemicals which, many swimmers say, helps reduce stress and improve mood. “After a swim at the Lido, you always come out smiling”, adds Natalie. “When you get into cold water – you can’t think about anything else except breathing and swimming. This gives your brain a break, which is often when you can find the solution to a task or question you’ve been mulling over. I find I’m way more productive on the days I swim and have better clarity of thought”.
From changing room to board room
Appreciating everything it has brought to her life, Natalie joined the Friends of Jesus Green Lido volunteer committee and has been helping them ever since, on a pro bono basis, with PR and communications – boosting awareness of the Lido, the events that take place there, and the amazing community of people who swim there throughout the year. In place since the 1980s, The Friends of Jesus Green Lido volunteer group has undertaken huge amounts of work to raise awareness of the Lido – with two of them even writing a book about its history for the Lido centenary in 2023.
This year, ahead of its formal launch in May, Natalie was asked if she would consider becoming a trustee of the Friends of Jesus Green Lido Charity. Formed quietly around the time of the pool’s centenary in 2023, the charity was established by a group of passionate Lido swimmers, who wanted to take the work of the volunteer group to the next level and give people a way of donating to projects to improve the pool.
Giving back is an ethos very familiar to Natalie. Growing up, her dad Bernard set the bar high; serving on his local village community association and helping out at Cambridge Squash Club for many years. Now aged 70, he is still actively helping out and runs his local Allotment Society. “Dad’s values and work ethic have transferred to me and that’s made serving as a trustee feel like a natural extension of who I am”, says Natalie. “It’s something I also hope I’ve instilled in my daughter, who has just finished university. During her three years at college, she was Vice President of her rugby society and then fundraising officer, plus she became an ambassador of another rugby charity. Supporting others and contributing to your community, whether through time, skills or fundraising, is so important – and something I am passionate about”.
Anyone who volunteers will be very familiar with the satisfaction it can bring to your life. “Volunteering has given me so much, both personally and professionally,” Natalie reveals. “It’s provided valuable opportunities to work as part of a wider team; and it’s reinforced my relationships with local journalists – who are always keen to know what’s going on at the Lido, whatever the weather. Ultimately, volunteering has reminded me that business isn’t just about commercial success – it’s also about community, connection and using your skills to make a positive impact”.
The life of a trustee
For Natalie, this is her second time as a trustee having previously served five years on the board of trustees of Cambridge Past, Present & Future helping them relaunch to the Cambridge Preservation Society and managing their comms and media engagement on a voluntary basis thereafter.
Trustees play a vital role. They are responsible for the overall governance and strategic direction and ensure a charity delivers against its stated purpose, acts in its beneficiaries’ best interests and complies with legal and financial obligations. They also work collectively to set strategy, oversee finances and risk, and make decisions that ensure the organisation remains sustainable and well-managed. “In short, trustees are volunteers who bring their skills, experience and judgement to help the charity have the greatest possible impact”, says Natalie.
“Being a trustee is a fantastic way to support causes that you care about. As a freelance PR consultant, who has run her own business for 17 years, one of the things I like about being a trustee is being part of a team. You’re not making decisions in isolation – you’re collaborating with others, sharing ideas, challenging each other constructively and ultimately working towards a common goal. It’s a role that carries responsibility, but it’s also incredibly fulfilling to see the positive impact that collective effort can have”, she adds.
And for anyone reading this feeling inspired to give it a go, here in Impington Cambridge Road based charity Camtrust is currently seeking trustees. Posting on Facebook, they say: “Camtrust is looking for new trustees to join our board and help guide the future of the charity. It’s a voluntary role, no previous trustee experience needed, we’ll give you a full introduction and support along the way”. Find out more by emailing the charity directly at info@camtrust.co.uk or by visiting their website, here.
Dive in!
The Lido celebrated its centenary in 2023 and the hope is that there will be many more centuries of swimming at Jesus Green. Safe cold-water practice requires appropriate warming facilities and the charity has recently kicked off its first fundraising appeal – for a new sauna. The Lido already has one sauna, but it is small, and during the winter months is often full, with standing room only.
Plans are to install a new, larger, purpose-built, high-quality sauna to help support the all-year round opening of the Lido. This will allow swimmers to warm up safely in colder months; improve accessibility for older swimmers and those with health conditions; create a welcoming social hub; and generate sustainable income to reinvest in the Lido.
The school summer holidays are nearly upon us – and Jesus Green Lido is very easy to get to. Bike racks are outside for those confident in cycling the 20 minutes or so it takes to get there. Parking on nearby Chesterton Road pay and display is available for those who wish to drive and the village’s Stagecoach no.8 bus stops a short walk away on Victoria Road.
“At Jesus Green Lido there are so many lovely people”, enthuses Natalie. “Everyone looks out for each other, particularly in the winter, and there is always someone to talk to, even if you go for a solo swim. I’ve met so many wonderful people there and am certain I’ll swim at the Lido for the rest of my life”.
Further information about how to get to the pool, which is on the tow path by the river, on Jesus Green, is available here. There are lots of events on over the summer, from cinema and comedy nights, to inflatables for children during the summer holidays; and poolside Zumba and yoga!
Read more about future plans at the Jesus Green Lido website. Donate to the sauna project via the JustGiving page.
Interested in giving cold water swimming a go? Pool operator (Better/GLL) is planning to a series of cold-water swimming classes this October. Watch out for details on the website.
More information about becoming a trustee can be found at gov.uk/become-charity-trustee
Check out HI HUB Jobs pages for volunteering opportunities. If you are seeking volunteers, please email admin@hihub.info to share your opportunities.
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