Chestnut Tree House Wild Wood Swim: Grieving Shoreham mum explains why she is taking on Sussex children's hospice's new event for beginners and experienced open water swimmers

Shoreham mum Rhiannon Fisher, 41, was one of the first to sign up, having found comfort in open water swimming since her three-year-old son died suddenly and unexpectedly in 2016.

The water is Rhiannon's calm space and cold water swimming has benefited her mental health over the past few years.

She took it up two years ago to help with her grief. When Winston died, Rhiannon was pregnant with her second child, Frank, and in 2018, she and her husband Ric welcomed their third child, Rosaline.

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Rhiannon said: "Winston was a remarkable little boy, he taught us how to be parents and made us a family. Although he’s never met his siblings, he’ll always be their big brother.

"Chestnut have been so supportive and helped us navigate those difficult conversations with Frank and Rosaline, especially around birthdays and special occasions, they’ve helped them understand what’s happened."

It was a busy but ordinary Saturday in January 2016, a fun family day out two weeks before Winston's fourth birthday.

Rhiannon said: "We had an active day. We took Winston for a haircut and spent the afternoon in Brighton.

He had a bit of a cold that day and we thought he must have been coming down with something but there weren’t any other obvious signs of infection, there was nothing to suggest that it wasn’t just a cold.”

That night, Winston died in his sleep. It was 'the biggest shock in the world'. A post-mortem later found Winston died from bronchopneumonia, which had caused sepsis.

Rhiannon and Ric were offered support by Chestnut Tree House and she says they would not be where they are today without it.

"We were in complete shock. I had a very limited and narrow expectation of what a children's hospice was but thank goodness I accepted their help,” she added.

The hospice gave the couple time with Winston in the Stars bereavement suite. Rhiannon says it was a lifeline and talking with the team helped them 'figure out what was going on'.

She added: “When someone dies an expected death, you prepare yourself to be physically apart from them. But as Winston died unexpectedly, I found it difficult being physically separated from his body. I was used to him climbing all over me, like three-year-olds do, so that physical space was really important for us.

"Taking part in this swim and raising money for Chestnut Tree House is my way of saying thank you for all the support they’ve given us over the years, and helping to ensure they can be there for other families in the future.

"Winston would have been ten years old this year. Every day, when Ric and I wake up, Winston isn’t there. It’s not as all-consuming as it was in the early days and weeks after he died but we feel it every day. We continue to live with his absence and the grief. So many things are harder. I can’t put into words how much we miss him. But we go on.”

Rhiannon will take on the 3km Wild Wood Swim in memory of Winston. It takes place at Weir Wood Reservoir near East Grinstead on Monday, August 19, with distances of 1km and 5km also an option.

Visit www.justgiving.com/swimforwinston to support Rhiannon and visit www.chestnut.org.uk/wildwood-swim for more information about the event.