After a slow, frustrating June spent recovering from my bike accident and a fractured elbow, July has finally brought some movement \u2014 literally and figuratively. I\u2019m not back at full pace just yet, but the shift from rest to routine has begun, and it feels good to be slowly stepping back into the world of late-night cleaning at Leeds Arena.<\/p>\n
July 1st to 10th \u2013 Still Signed Off<\/p>\n
The first third of the month was more of the same: resting up, stretching, and doing my best not to rush the recovery. My NHS fit note had me out of action until the 9th, so I spent those days laying low and trying to be patient. Easier said than done.<\/p>\n
When you\u2019ve worked night shifts as long as I have, your body starts to crave that rhythm \u2014 the movement, the routine, the quiet focus that comes when the public leaves and the lights dim. I was definitely ready to get back in the game. Luckily, the timing lined up.<\/p>\n
July 15th to 18th \u2013 Leeds Beckett University Graduations<\/p>\n
My first official shifts back were for Leeds Beckett University\u2019s graduation week \u2014 a four-day run of ceremonies that filled the arena during the daytime. By the time our night crew arrived, the party was over. No proud families left taking photos, no applause, no speeches echoing off the walls. Just a silent arena and the remains of a day\u2019s celebration.<\/p>\n
You wouldn\u2019t think there\u2019d be much to clean, but even a polite graduation leaves a mess. Programs tucked under chairs, half-finished takeaway coffees, popped balloons, and the occasional rogue mortarboard abandoned mid-celebration like it had somewhere better to be.<\/p>\n
The shifts were steady and structured \u2014 no crowds to dodge, no chaos to manage \u2014 just quiet, methodical work. A good way to ease back in after nearly six weeks off. My elbow held up fine, sore but manageable, and I could feel myself slowly settling back into the rhythm.<\/p>\n
The Rest of July \u2013 Still to Come<\/p>\n
As I write this, we\u2019ve got a week of non-public events ahead. Corporate bookings, set-ups, and behind-the-scenes work \u2014 the kind of shifts that don\u2019t show up on posters but still keep the arena running. I\u2019m expecting to be on some of those nights, but I\u2019ll wait until August to finish this post off properly, once I know exactly how July played out.<\/p>\n
To Be Continued\u2026<\/p>\n
This month\u2019s not finished yet \u2014 and neither is the story. I\u2019ll be back in early August to wrap up July\u2019s full picture: what shifts I ended up doing, what strange things I found under the seats, and how it felt finishing my first full month back since the crash.<\/p>\n
See you then.<\/p>\n
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