Who am I?
I was born with Arthogryposis which means I had no hips and my feet were bent up to my shins. I have had many operations since then to correct this to allow me to get up on my feet but 99% of the time I have to use a wheelchair. At 4 I was also diagnosed with a rare form of Muscular Dystrophy called Nemaline Myopathy. The definition of this condition is "a muscle wasting disease with no cure". But I don't suffer with this, I live with it and I live a great life. I like to think there is no limit to what you can do unless you limit yourself and I certainly don't limit myself! and I work as an ambassador for the charity Muscular Dystrophy UK - http://www.musculardystrophyuk.org to try and help others with the condition. But more recently I have also been named as an ambassador for Motivation- https://www.motivation.org.uk |
I have had many sporting adventures. From wheelchair tennis and basketball to athletics and archery. During 2014 I represented GB in Archery. Breaking world records and winning medals. I was ready to compete for my place in the team for the Rio 2016 Paralympics but an injury that year which resulted in surgery meant that I missed out on the last Paralympics but started training again and hope to make the Games someday! |
In 2017 I took part in 2 different beauty pageants after finding out no one in a wheelchair had done this before in England. Miss Bristol was April and Catwalk Perfect UK was November where I came 2nd Runner Up (3rd place)! I stepped outside my comfort zone pardon the pun and did this to try and encourage others to except themselves as who they are how they are to do things they thought they couldn't do too. |
I spent a few years working at BBC Bristol for BBC Radio Bristol, Points West and have featured on Inside Out West! I work day to day alongside Geoff Twentyman producing and reporting for the Sports Shows and was one of the sixteen Under 30 News Panel members.
I have spent the last year being freelance working for numerous BBC locations as well as for ITV West Country. I have enrolled back at college doing a foundation degree in Media Production to help develop the skills I have as a freelancer. I look forward to making the most of the time doing this course and the access to amazing support and equipment. |
After a pretty rubbish experience of getting wet and cold at a Festival in the Summer of 2017 I realised something needed to be made for people like myself in a wheelchair so we can enjoy events like festival without ending up like a drowned rat which can make it hard to enjoy the experience! But when it came to getting it down on paper I realised I wanted it to be for wheelchair users as well as for anybody else. Something that was inclusive not exclusive. Once I knew what we needed I sent some emails and ASOS came back to me.
After several months of visiting the ASOS HQ in London the waterproof jumpsuit I worked on with their help is now for sale! But what's more important now is that I modelled the jumpsuit for the website - being the first wheelchair user to model for this sort of thing! The combination of this and the product itself sent the media world crazy even if I do say so myself. There is over 70 articles from all corners of the globe including in magazines such as Vogue, Grazia and Elle! |
As if freelancing and studying wasn't enough I was also part of the class of 2019 speakers for TEDxBristol! One of the biggest Tedx events in Europe. My talk was about my collaboration with ASOS, whats happened since and what I plan to do next to make sure fashion continues to become inclusive!
The video of my talk will be on YouTube seen for people all over the world to see!
The video of my talk will be on YouTube seen for people all over the world to see!