Appeal launched for daughter of Kettering dad who died taking New Year's Day swim in Brighton
An appeal to help the daughter of a Kettering man who tragically died taking a New Year’s Day swim in the sea off Brighton has been launched.
Former Kettering Northants Evening Telegraph reporter, Jonathan Lovett, known to friends as Johnny, died after getting into difficulty after taking a dip on New Year’s Day.
The 51-year-old had recently moved back to his hometown with fiancée Marianne and their seven-year-old daughter.
Now friends and ex-colleagues have rallied round to fundraise for his daughter in his memory – a Just Giving Page set up by Jonathan’s friend Simon Jones.
Paying tribute to his ‘dear friend’, Mr Jones said: “Johnny was a beautiful dad, son, uncle, brother, friend and partner to Marianne. He was adored by so many.
“He touched the lives of everyone he met through his infectious laughter and sheer joy.
"This was a man who didn’t just want to live life to the full, he wanted everybody to live their best life. Behind that gorgeous smile was a huge heart, and he brought so much good into this world.”
A fan of cold-water swimming, he had wanted to see in 2026 with an invigorating dip, but what should have been a moment of renewal turned into tragedy.
Johnny’s daughter turned seven the day before her father passed away and friends want to show her how much he meant to them.
A journalist and writer by trade, Johnny had recently returned to live in Kettering after living much of his adult life in Crouch End, London.
After training at the ‘ET’, Jonathan took his talent and creativity to work as arts editor for the Enfield-based Gazette, Advertiser and Press series of newspapers.
Combining his skills for writing and love of theatre, he supported a range of arts organisations, including the then fledgling Chicken Shed theatre in Barnet.
As a ‘father of the chapel’ for the National Union of Journalists, he campaigned for better employment rights for media colleagues.
Away from work he ran historical walks with Marianna telling the story of the plague with ‘artistic majesty’, wit and humour.
He took centre stage worldwide for a two full seconds at the London Olympics opening ceremony for his role depicting a worker during the Industrial Revolution.
Mr Jones said: “Such was the sheer creative energy of the man, he would often take centre stage in pubs and clubs of London, whether it was trying (unsuccessfully) to do a rendition of Riverdance, or (successfully with incredible accuracy) reciting every King and Queen of England from The Norman Conquest to the modern day.
“Goodness resonated in everything Johnny did, whether through paid or voluntary work. He befriended older people experiencing social isolation and championed homelessness charities. And as he moved away from journalism, it felt fitting that in his last role he brought his creativity and a big heart to Victim Support, telling the stories of victims of crime with incredible kindness, warmth and empathy.
“Johnny was a devoted father and son who, together with his amazing fiancée, Marianne, did everything they could to create the very best life for their daughter. This fund, in loving memory of our wonderful friend, aims to help continue that work.
“Johnny’s death leaves a gaping hole in the lives of so many, but it also leaves us with a lifetime of memories: laughter, joy, singing, terrible dancing… and the sheer positive energy of a man who sprinkled stardust on everyone he met.”
To donate to the Just Giving Page go to https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/simon-jones-480.
This article was originally written for our sister title, the Northamptonshire Telegraph.