In this heartfelt Q&A, we hear from Bede's alumna Jazz Turner, who, following a terminal diagnosis, embarked on an extraordinary journey of self-discovery. Her inspiring challenge, Project Fear, saw her become the first disabled woman to single-handedly sail around the UK. Jazz shares her unique experiences, the challenges she overcame, and the valuable lessons she learned along the way.

When asked about her time at Bede’s, Jazz reflects on the support she received from the science department, particularly from her chemistry teacher, Dr. Costley. Having struggled to make friends, she found solace and space in their classrooms during lunch, a simple act of kindness that meant the world to her. "I used to sit in the classrooms at lunch, and they just gave me the space to deal with whatever was going on." Jazz also credits her time in sports as a way to get out of the classroom and escape the pressure of academic life.

Jazz's inspiration for Project Fear stems from a profound personal journey. Diagnosed with a chronic progressive condition called Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, she has long grappled with maintaining her health. In December 2023, after a period of prolonged hospitalisation, she made the difficult decision to withdraw treatment, which was estimated to give her only six months to live. When she found herself still "very much alive and kicking" in March 2024, she was faced with a complex question: "How do you keep living when you don't know how long you have left to live?" Realising that traditional life goals like getting a job or buying a house no longer applied, Jazz decided to pursue her one remaining dream: to sail around the world. She started with a more manageable challenge: sailing around the UK. When she discovered that no disabled female had ever completed this feat, Project Fear was born. The name comes from her boat, 'Fear,' inspired by her favorite quote: "Life gives you two choices; you can forget everything, run or face everything." Jazz’s philosophy now is to "plan as if I had forever but live as if I only have today," allowing her to chase her dreams while living in the moment.

Project Fear's fundraising efforts have been remarkably successful, raising over £58,000 for New Haven and Seafood Sailability, far exceeding her initial target of £30,000. Jazz co-founded the organisation in 2019 with her parents after finding it difficult to find a sailing club that could accommodate her complex needs despite her championship sailing background. Sailability organisations across the UK provide people with disabilities access to sailing through adapted boats and specialised equipment. What started with one participant (Jazz herself) and two donated boats has grown to support over 100 people a year.

The funds raised from Project Fear have allowed them to purchase three new boats, new adaptive equipment, and will allow them to build a purpose-built disabled toilet, shower, and changing room.

On the 2nd June 2025, Jazz launched from Brighton Marina, completing her journey on the 30th June in just 28 days and 1 hour. Her route took her west past the Isles of Scilly, around the top of the Shetlands, and back down the east coast. Jazz admits that being at sea alone forces you to keep going, regardless of pain or exhaustion. "If the boat needs something, it's only you, you kind of have to do it."

A standout moment came at the halfway point when she passed a rock called Flugger, just north of the Shetlands. "All I could do was scream out loud and shout at the top of my lungs." This was a significant achievement, as she hadn't even planned the second half of her route, never truly believing she would make it that far.

The journey was not without its difficulties. A well-known sailor, Ian Walker, told her she did it in some of the worst conditions he’d ever seen. Strong headwinds meant she had to sail much farther than expected. The most devastating moment came when she ran aground, just 50 nautical miles from the finish line. "I thought I'd destroyed the boat… I was distraught." However, she overcame this by allowing herself to be angry and upset before focusing on the next step. She also had to resist the urge to get a hug from her father and uncle, who came to support her, as any physical contact would have invalidated the record.

Jazz prepared for the journey with extensive gym work and countless hours at sea, often in "horrible conditions" to test herself and her boat. Mentally, she developed a mantra of "day by day, wave by wave and breath by breath" and relied on her coach via satellite communication to break down the journey into manageable chunks. "There is almost no way to prepare for something like that because you don't know how you're going to find it until you're doing it." Sleep deprivation was a major challenge, with her sleep monitor once recording only 37 minutes of sleep in 24 hours, in two-minute chunks.

Despite the exhaustion, Jazz found moments of beauty. She recalls the sea having a funny way of "just when you're ready to give up, it brings out something to bring you back."

Undeterred, Jazz plans to do it all again, but on a global scale. She has declared her intention to enter the World Star race, a solo, round-the-world competition starting in Plymouth in September 2026. If she completes it, she will be the first disabled female to do so. The main challenge? She doesn't have a boat yet. But, as she says, the first leg of Project Fear was also a "crazy idea" that was achieved.

Jazz’s journey is a powerful reminder that sometimes you have to step off the traditional path to find your true self. Her final advice to Bede's students is simple: "Say Yes, no matter what comes your way, because you never know where it might lead or who you might meet."

Her story is an important lesson for us all, that even in the face of what seems impossible, courage, determination, and a willingness to say yes can unlock new horizons and connect you with people in ways you never thought possible. We wish Jazz all the best in her next great adventure and look forward to cheering her on from the shore.