“It Helped Me Make a Home in Ely” — An Interview with Carmyn 💚
We caught up with Carmyn, one of our much-loved members at FRESH., to talk about grief, community, Flexitone fails, and the unexpected joy of being kicked in the face (you’ll see). What follows is her honest, funny, and deeply moving take on what it means to find your people — sometimes in the most unlikely places.
What does being part of the FRESH. community mean to you?
And have you found other pockets of community within it?
Being part of FRESH. means having a safe place to go, whether it’s for a class, a cup of coffee, or just to leave the house after a hard week. It offered me a lifeline to hold onto when navigating the unpredictable waters of grief after losing both my parents in 2022.
How has it enhanced your life or wellbeing?
FRESH. has helped me meet some incredibly kind and caring people, from which some wonderful friendships have formed. It’s also helped me maintain and hold myself accountable for my health — and try new activities I’ve either been curious about or have never, ever considered before.
Has it supported your feelings or experiences of connection and belonging?
I’m not from the UK and have grown up living in a number of different countries. I’m pretty used to moving between lives without feeling any real sense of belonging — and to this day, I still find it hard to say where feels most like home.
It’s very likely that I wouldn’t have remained in Ely were it not for the connections I formed through FRESH. Even if just for a 45-minute class, I’ve met, danced, boxed, and laughed with so many people from all walks of life and backgrounds. It’s incredible how such a small, seemingly mundane act — like joining a fitness and wellbeing studio — can change the course of your life. But it did. It helped me make a home in Ely.
What encouragement would you offer someone looking to join a new group or community?
Just try. Sign up, show up, and give it a go. The first few minutes may be awkward, but once the music starts, you’re all in the same boat — suffering through stretches, fumbling dance steps, or sweating up a storm.
Smile, swear, shout — give into the joy of moving your body in a safe space. Trust me, by the end of it, you’ll feel comfortable enough to strike up a conversation with a stranger. And if not? There’s always next time.
(On a sidenote — it’s really difficult to make new friends as an adult. But finding a mutual activity through FRESH. is a great way to do it. After that, it’s just having the confidence to talk to someone. And by then, you’ve already got something in common!)
Are you part of any other local groups or communities that have benefited you?
Working on it! Honestly, it’s hard enough to keep up with the social life I’ve built through FRESH. 😂
I did join the ‘Let’s Run Girls’ Ely club, which was great until I got injured. I’d recommend it to anyone who wants to start running — it’s free and offers both safety and support from a group of nice ladies of all ages and levels. I did the Couch to 5k with them, and it was fun (at least as fun as running can be).
Anything else you'd like to mention? A friendship or group that blossomed and how that’s affected your life?
My first FRESH. friend was made whilst suffering through Flexitone. Alice was sat next to me, touching her toes like a show-off and, as anyone who knows her, easily struck up a conversation. And thank goodness she did. Ten minutes later, we’re booking the same classes for the next two weeks just so we can hang out again — and honestly, not much has changed since then.
My next friend broke the ice with a swift right kick to my left cheek. Granted, this was during a FRESH. kickboxing class, where Isobel and I had been partnered up after she almost sent the shorter powerhouse — and my next friend — Caroline, across the room and through a wall. It was after said kickboxing classes that I also met Isobel's sister, Amelia, patiently waiting for the roundhouses to end in the lovely little in-house cafe, Prosper.
A year later, we’re all at Alice’s wedding, knocking back Long Island iced teas and going to town on the dance floor, celebrating her happy day with yet another new FRESH. friend, Lauren.
A few of these friends have since moved on from Ely — but we still keep in touch through our WhatsApp group, so aptly named ‘FRESH and UNWEL,’ and meet up for coffee or the odd FRESH. class when we can.
As for the friends who are still local — we rock up to each other’s houses, go to gigs, run errands together (shoutout to Alice who took me to the dentist!) or just wander about Ely, enjoying one another’s company.
It’s great. I love my new friends.
Thank you, Carmyn 💚