Stories from the sauna: Monica Carr, Bognor Regis
Monica Carr (aged 93) visits our Bognor Regis sauna every week for heat, relaxation and lots of lovely chats…
We love the communities that have been built around our saunas: people meeting for the first time in the sauna, having conversations, encouraging one another to embrace the cold tubs or showers, and then this becoming a regular ritual.
We are always so moved when members tell us about the friendships formed in our saunas and how sessions play an important part of their lives - so instead of keeping these to ourselves, we’ll be sharing members ‘stories from the sauna’ regularly on the journal.
We hope you’ll enjoy reading them almost as much as we do!
First up is the wonderful Monica. 93 years young, Monica (or ‘Saint Monica’ as she’s affectionately known by her pals) has been a regular to our Bognor sauna since we opened last winter.
We chatted to her to hear all about her weekly sauna rituals, the joy of sauna conversations and why she thinks our Bognor sauna host Heather is a ‘perfect angel’...
Hi Monica, first things first, how long have you used a sauna?
I have used saunas for quite a few years. Before I came down to Bognor, I used to go to the leisure centre in Staines and I swam a lot with my family and used to go to the sauna. It was wonderful!
What made you try our Bognor sauna?
I came along the seafront on my daily walk and saw the sauna. So I popped in and I had a lovely chat with Harry [a sauna host] and then started coming, at first on a Saturday and now on a Friday morning.
Tell us a little about your sauna rituals…
I walk here with my shopper. There’s so many people who come here on a Friday morning, and we all meet in the sauna. I sit on my towel on the bottom shelf (as I like to call it. I have to sit down at the bottom because if I got up to the top, I’d never get down!). It’s so hot as I go in. Heather brings my water in, so I’m drinking water.
I don’t want to come out of the sauna, but after a while, I have to come out. I then come and sit on my chair - put out by Heather for me - and she brings me another cup of water and we sit outside chatting. I almost forget to go back in! When it’s time to go home, I’m chatting again!
Do you take to the sea for a dip?
I do! I haven’t been just lately. I just need to put my special shoes on, because I can’t walk on the pebbles. I have walked up further - near the coffee shop - where it’s all on the level and there’s no slope. So I usually sit up there, they look after my shopper and I venture down to the sea. It’s a lovely feeling after being in the sauna, you can’t really beat it.
How does the sauna make you feel?
Absolutely inspiring! It makes me feel really good. To perspire and open all the pores, I sometimes come out dripping wet!
What do you enjoy most about coming to the sauna?
The wonderful feeling, along with the relaxation and to talk to people. There’s such a friendly lot of people who come here. It’s been absolutely wonderful. I feel I’ve been coming down a much longer time than just the few months the sauna has been open. It feels like years!
As the seasons start to change, do you prefer coming in the warmer or cooler months?
When I first started coming down to the sauna in the winter, I was coming in my pink puffer jacket and now I’m just coming in my swimwear. Although on 19th December last year, it was so gorgeous and sunny. I was sat outside in my swimming costume, I didn’t even need a towel over me! Winter and summer, I shall be coming!
You mention our lovely sauna host Heather- would you like to tell us more about your experience with her?
Heather gives me the star treatment. She looks after me wonderfully, she even books me in for my sauna for the following week. She is more than a super star, she’s a perfect angel.
A big thank you to Monica for sharing her stories from our Bognor sauna with us. If you would like to tell us about your LH rituals and more, from our saunas in Brighton (Sea Lanes or sauna café), Worthing, Eastbourne or of course, Bognor Regis, please just get in touch: info@lunahutsauna.co.uk.
