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Hi, my name is Charlotte Smith.

Read more about me, my life and interests in our articles section.
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About Walk Again.co.uk - Charlotte Smith's Story

 

Charlotte Smith with her dog (now passed away) Harvey

A Bit About Me

Hi my name is Charlotte Smith. I am 25 years old and live in Woking Surrey. All of my life the two things I have been most passionate about are animals and art. I have had a pet of one sort or another since a young age and was a keen horse rider in my teens.

At school I found my love of art in my art and design lessons. I went on from school to study art and design and then graphic design at “Farnborough College of technology”. When I left college I got a job working for a graphic design agency called “Gunpowder” in Guildford.

The Accident

In 2004 I broke my neck when I landed badly doing a jump between a trampoline and a bouncy castle. The accident left me paralyzed from below my arms and completely turned my life around. Due to difficulties with housing etc after the accident I spent one year I hospital and a further year in a care home for mentally ill people. My family and friends were incredibly supportive through this time, helping me to get away from the care home for weekends and helping me to eventually move into an adapted council house in woking. Once I was home I could gradually start getting my life back together. 

The Business

I set up the business “www.walkagain.co.uk” in 2007 after my mum “Bridget” over looked me doodling on the computer and suggested that I should print my designs onto t-shirts and try selling them. My boyfriend “Gordon” put together a basic website so that I could try selling my products online. The products sold well, (particularly from the agility range) so since 2007 I have been expanding the range of products and designs and with help from Gordon I have also been able to update and improve the website.

As well as selling my products online, I have been working as a freelance graphic designer for a web agency and this year (with the help of my family) I have sold my clothing and accessories by holding a few stalls at agility shows.      

Agility

One of the first things that I did when I got out of hospital was get myself a new dog.  Before I had the accident I use to attend agility classes with “Millbrook Agility Dogs”. When I had the accident the club could not have been more supportive to me and my family. I have been training my dog “Kye” (a Belgian shepherd cross) for over a year now and he is coming along nicely and we have even started competing.  

Agility training brings much happiness to my life, and I am so thankful to everyone at “Millbrook Agility Dogs” for being so supportive and helping me to continue with a sport I love.

Spinal Research

Since the accident I have been using the internet to keep up to date with the latest in stem cell and spinal research. I have been in contact with a doctor in India “dr.Shroff” who is an expert in the field and has had some really promising results with stem cell injections. Dr.Shroff is hopeful that with treatment I could make some recovery so I am putting any donations I get and most of the profits from my sales towards saving up so that in the future I can go to India for treatment.

The Future

In the future I hope to keep on expanding the business by holding more trade stalls, selling more products online and doing more freelance design work. I also hope to continue competing and improving in agility.

Thanks for reading my story