Green runs are not green runs!
On my quest to re-learn to ski after losing my left leg, I’ve been searching for the perfect resort with gentle green and blue runs. A resort where I can grow my confidence and enjoy the snow without fear of falling. Well, I can categorically say: Alpe d’Huez is not for beginners!!!
On paper it looks perfect, hence the reason I booked the resort. There are allegedly 41 green and 34 blue runs:
Now I’m pretty proud that I’m back to a fairly good standard of skiing… but the majority of these ‘green runs’ are more like red runs and I didn’t find red runs enjoyable when I had two legs, let alone one! There are no cliff edges as such, so there was no fear of my prosthetic leg failing to turn and me falling off the mountain, but the slopes were steep… really steep… all of them!
I chose to stay at the Hôtel au Chamois d’Or – a gorgeous 5 star spa hotel right at the base of all the green runs. The views were magnificent and I’d definitely recommend the hotel if you need easy access to the slopes.
After a first morning of being totally petrified on Chez Roger – an allegedly fun ‘green run’ – I headed onto the ‘scare chair’ – the Alpuaris chairlift and then the Auris charlift over to Auris En Oisins.
Here I found an actual green run and a genuinely fun Woodcutter run with tunnels to whizz through and bells to ring. Having learnt to ski originally from age 3-10 in Morzine, this area was exactly how I’d describe ‘green runs’ – gentle, safe and fun. Morzine has the Penguin run and the Milka run and the Indian run and this is how I expected Alpe d’Huez to be – full of fun family runs… but it’s not. It’s full of red runs labelled as green!
Anyway, as my confidence grew over at Auris En Oisins, I attempted more of the ‘green runs’ in the main resort in the afternoons and although I didn’t really enjoy them, I mastered them. There are tons of black runs – all of which my brother tried, including The Tunnel – Europe’s steepest run and the Sarennes – the worlds longest black run. But I was proud to simply have completed Chez Roger without having a full-on panic attack!
Maybe Alpe d’Huez was the right choice to progress me on my skiing journey. It certainly pushed me out of my comfort zone and my skiing definitely improved.
What I did like about the resort were the other fun activities you could take part in. The toboggan run was absolutely brilliant:
As was the sledging trail:
Another cool addition were the mini gondolas that moved you around the resort:
Overall I had a really great ski trip, but ideally I want runs where I can just get my skis together and whizz without fear of falling.
I am never going to be the best at parallel turns, my leg won’t allow it, and the steeper the slope, the sharper your turns need to be.
So for now my quest for the perfect ski resort continues.
This is the biggest honour of my life to date. On the evening of Thursday 20th March I was awarded the Champion of Change Trophy at the Smiley Movement Charity Film Awards.
The Smiley Champion of Change Award recognises individuals making a significant positive impact in their work, particularly those who champion positive change and solutions… and this is what Nicolas Loufrani, CEO of the Smiley Company, said about me:
It feels really hard to try and put into words what Nicolas’ speech and the whole evening meant to me. My life has been really tough for the past few years but I’ve never moaned or let it get me down and I’ve just tried to make the best out of my situation and help others who might also find themselves struggling a bit. Maybe this slightly tearful interview I did when I came off stage will explain it better:
The evening was so much fun and I experienced a real full-circle moment with Ekin-Su:
But the true stars of the night were the charities who make so much more important change than I do. It was just wonderful to be surrounded by such positivity, optimism and light. You can read all about the evening here.
I put together a short reel of my highlights, but nothing will ever properly convey just how magical the night was for me and how honoured and humbled I feel:
Thank you so much to Nicolas and Franklin Loufrani and the whole team at The Smiley Movement , you’re the true champions of change.
I look forward to working with The Smiley Movement lots more in the future. Please read our latest piece here.
Miss England Semi-Finals here I come!
Well, this was a surprise! In this next installment of my crazy life, I’ll explain how I’ve suddenly found myself in the Miss England Semi-Finals!
Back in December I went to the London Model Academy Christmas Party. It was so much fun and simply a chance to catch up with friends and network.
Little did I know, there was a photographer there from Fab UK Magazine and the CEO himself Cem Kaplan. He was featuring the party in the Jan 2025 issue of the magazine so there was the option to pose with some gifts from the party sponsor…. I obviously jumped at the chance and that’s when Cem watched me model and subsequently told me he just knew!
In fact his exact words in a message that followed in January were: “What really stuck with me was how you posed, it was amazing. The confidence, the outfit, the hairstyle, the way you looked at the camera, it was just spot on. In that moment, I thought: she’s the one!”
What really stuck with me was how you posed, it was amazing. The confidence, the outfit, the hairstyle, the way you looked at the camera, it was just spot on. In that moment, I thought: she’s the one!
So he entered the photograph that was taken that evening into the Fab UK Magazine Top Model Competition and out of the 156 entries – 106 applied online and 50 were photographer’s own picks – the panel of judges decided that I was their Top Model for 2025!
And as if that wasn’t crazy enough I then get a message to come to an event in Covent Garden. Being Fab Magazine’s Top Model of The Year gives me a free pass into the Miss England Semi Finals!
Like what?! Seriously! What is my life! The press got hold of the story and it was featured absolutely everywhere:
I’ll be totally honest, I didn’t really know much about the Miss England Competition and on first glance it seemed very different to the editorial style edgy modelling that I love to do:
But, on meeting Milla Magee, the stunning and beautifully kind, current Miss England, I’ve learnt that the contest is absolutely something I want to get involved with. Miss England is all about ‘Beauty With a Purpose.’ Milla’s Beauty with a Purpose project is called #GoFarwithCPR where she has been spreading awareness and teaching life-saving Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) skills. She has taught CPR in many schools and is campaigning to make it compulsory in the education curriculum. Wow! Even if I can just raise awareness about what a positive impact the Miss England Competition has then I’ll be happy.
But let’s be honest now… Am I pretty enough to become Miss England? No. Am I glamorous enough to become Miss England? No. I can’t hide it. I’m part robot. I have a prosthetic leg. And with just 3 out of 4 limbs I’m very clearly missing something! But maybe, just maybe, I make up for it in spirit, and determination, and grit, and resolve. I certainly have more of a purpose to my life now… so what if my uniqueness sets me apart?
I very much doubt I’ll make it through to the Final, but I’m going to give it my best shot and I’m sure it’s going to be tons of fun.
Am I scared about the competition? No, not at all. Once you’ve survived something like osteosarcoma, nothing scares you anymore. So Miss England, I’m coming for you. And Cem and all at Fab UK Magazine, thank you so much for believing in me. Let’s start an Inclusion Revolution!
Women’s Amputee Football World Cup – Colombia 2024
We made it! We got there! Our dreams of competing in the very first female amputee football World Cup came true! Every single moment was magical – even the almost 24hr journey to get there!!
John Watson from The BBC was his usual amazing self, keeping the nation updated on our progress, live on Breakfast Television every morning:
Our first game against Peru really was the stuff of dreams. We won 6-0 and I scored 4 goals in under 8 minutes, which I think is a world record.
I also think I can officially claim the title: Annabel Kiki, the youngest World Cup goal scorer.
Annabel Kiki, the youngest World Cup goal scorer.
Again, John Watson covered the story:
My brother Archie and his friends should absolutely be the new sports pundits on TV. This was their reaction to our first match:
Next up we had Haiti – a much tougher game, but still a 1-0 win:
Our final group match saw us challenging Kenya. The temperature was 37 degrees and the heat got the better of us. We lost 1-0, meaning we had a much tougher route to the final – The USA in the quarters… and we lost, as England often do, on penalties. I scored mine, but it wasn’t enough, we were out, only able to play for our final official world ranking. Picking ourselves back up, we managed to beat Ecuador 3-0 where I scored my favourite goal of the tournament – a free kick from a good distance out:
Ukraine was our final match and I managed to sneak in another two goals.
This made me the top goal scorer of the tournament. I won the golden boot! I scored the most goals out of any player from any country throughout the whole of the competition.
I won the Golden Boot!
I literally still have a hard time saying those words! I won the golden boot, at the first ever women’s amputee football world cup! What a total dream! John Watson again calmly covered the story:
My immediate reaction though, was far from calm!
I couldn’t have done it without my teammates doing their jobs and getting the ball up the pitch, and strikers are always the lucky ones who get all the glory, but I want to make this award about much more than my ability to knock a ball into the back of a net. I want to use it to inspire others.
I had a shout-out on The Last Leg, and I am actually on the New Years Eve Special and I’ll add that video at the end of the blog when it airs.
I also had such a wonderful reaction from my school:
The whole evening of The Golden Boot win was just magical, and I know I keep using that word, but it was. I am literally the top goal scorer in the world! Wooooooo!
And I know there are people who will be cringing saying: be humble!!! But when you’ve been through what I’ve been through and when you’ve been given a second chance at life like I have, then you’ll understand why I’m so proud to shout about these magical things. Life can be cruel. People can be cruel. We should absolutely, wholeheartedly, embrace all of the good stuff, while the stuff is good!
But as the euphoria dies down, I am realising that this award does give me more of a voice. Dame Rachel de Souza, the children’s commissioner sent me a letter. She had seen me interviewed in one of John Watson’s BBC pieces and asked to meet me in Westminster. We had a wonderful chat about my journey and how I could potentially be an ambassador for the children’s commission to make positive change for this country. Obviously I said yes, yes, yes!! Hundreds of people have applied for the role, however, so we will have to see how far I get in the interview process, but I will give the selection procedure everything I’ve got! So watch this space!
Overall the World Cup in Colombia was an experience like no other and I thank every single one of you who donated to our fund – this is all because of you. Thank you.
…and as promised, my appearance on The Last Leg New Year’s Eve Special!
Birmingham Fashion Week 2024
After five months of fittings, rehearsals, shoots and promo, Birmingham Fashion Week finally arrived. It began on the Friday evening with an incredible launch party that included networking, panel discussions, delicious food and drink; all setting the scene for the epicness that was to come!
The following day the main event started. The runway. The moment I had been working towards since meeting supermodel Coco Rocha back in March. We were at the location – Anchor Point – all day, finalising our walking order and working with the photographers to ensure we got the best angles.
I walked for four different designers – Shone, Roesque, Elie Bahar and Pue Lisa:
…and it was literally the biggest vibe ever!! Honestly the thrill of the runway is like nothing I’ve felt before. The crazy backstage chaos, the constant camera flashes, the claps and the cheers. It’s ABSOLUTELY what I want to do with my life! And the reason isn’t just the glitz and the glam, it’s this… the representation… the hope I can offer other people.
The whole event was such a joy to be part of and I am so grateful to Nat – The Queen of Birmingham Fashion Week – for including me and showing the world that the ‘Inclusion Revolution’ is here and it’s happening.
I loved all of the looks that I walked… but I will never forget my first ever outfit, on my first ever runway:
Birmingham Fashion Week, you were brilliant!
Wow! What a week it’s been. Having vented my confusion, disappointment and frustration back in August in my Footballing Blog:
Hey ho, we will all keep pushing and hope for a last-minute miracle.
That last minute miracle came in the form of two John’s. John Watson the BBC Sports Presenter and John Terry the ex-England Captain.
John Watson came out to film us at our weekend training camp. His interview went live on Monday morning on BBC Breakfast!
What happened next was a whirlwind! John Terry saw the piece on TV and messaged me on twitter:
I instantly gave him my mum’s number, as you can see from my social media, she’s like the UK’s Kris Jenner! And between the three of us we managed to get some of the team and some of the EAFA staff down to the Chelsea training ground less than 24hrs later! In between all that I had another early morning live interview with John Watson:
It was probably one of the most exciting things to happen to me… meeting John Terry and being given a full tour inside the training facilities. We walked straight past Enzo Maresca, we walked in on a player having a massage, we saw the players lounge, changing rooms, swimming pool, gym… it was incredible! Here’s some of the fun I captured of the day:
John Terry then took us to the most exclusive box at the Chelsea ground so we could watch the Real Madrid match that evening. He made us feel like we were superstars… not only that he actually took the time to talk to us and hear our stories. I said in my interview with Forbes Magazine the next day:
John Terry was so genuinely supportive.
For the third day running, the BBC Breakfast team shared our story. This time focusing on the wonderful impact John Terry’s support and The John Terry Foundation had on our fundraiser – doubling the total in less than 24hrs and giving us the gift of potential World Cup glory!
So there we are. We had our miracle. Now all that’s left to do is say thank you to everyone who donated… and finally:
John Terry, I love you!
…and with one week before departure, I’m now adding in the fact The BBC had us all back on for a final amazing bit of coverage. Let’s do this, ladies!
Avoid Dubai from June to August, they say. It’s too hot, they say. Well, if I can do it with one leg, with all of the faff of prosthetics, then you can too!
Yes, it’s hot, and I mean SO HOT in the summer (I went at the end of August!) But everywhere has air conditioning. You step off the plane into the most gorgeous of airports with the coolest of air conditioning and the very best signs.
There are no queues anywhere and your luggage is waiting for you on the baggage belt. You then get into a gorgeous air-conditioned taxi and travel along the pothole-and-roadwork-free 7-lane highway to your destination. It’s honestly like you’ve arrived in a parallel universe where everything just works and looks stunning as well.
We stayed at The Waldorf Astoria on The Palm. Please make sure you completely ignore the people who tell you not to stay on The Palm because it’s difficult to get on and off… it’s not, it’s just a slightly longer taxi ride. You’d never be walking anywhere in Dubai as it’s just too hot, so taxis are the way to go and they’re really reasonably priced so the slightly longer journey to get to a hotel on The Palm is absolutely worth it.
The one thing you must do when in Dubai is go up the Burj Khalifa. We booked the ‘At The Top – SKY’ ticket here and it was so easy as an amputee. Again, everything was air-conditioned and there was a short walk to the lift and that’s it, you’re up. We decided to head up around 5.00pm so we could see the sun as it started to set and then went back down to the boats on the lake so we could watch the fountain show with all of the glittery lights. You don’t need to book the boats, you just turn up ten minutes before the show that takes place every fifteen minutes.
Another thing I’d recommend is a speedboat trip around The Palm. We met up with a friend who’s part of the Captain’s Club, but it’s really easy to book, and again not expensive at all, in fact it was cheaper than a 1-hour trip I took earlier in the summer down the Birmingham Canals!
That was something that was interesting coming from the UK, everyone said Dubai would be too expensive, but it wasn’t, in fact it was probably a bit cheaper. A three-course-meal in a stunning restaurant at the base of The Burj Khalifa cost less than our local Pizza Express, and the service was so much friendlier too. The malls are just sensational for anyone who likes to shop like I do and everywhere feels safe.
As an amputee, and just a teenage girl who loves to travel, see the sights and shop, I one-hundred percent, recommend Dubai.
I was beyond honoured to be invited to this year’s Professional Footballer’s Awards at Manchester Opera House. Thank you to Zoe from my model agency Zebedee Talent for being such a huge supporter of my footballing journey along with my modelling career.
I wore an exclusive piece by the incredible designer Hulahan. It’s called the ‘Multiverse’ dress – a zero waste design, cut on the bias, so it flows around the body. Thank you to The Birmingham Fashion Council who introduced us earlier this year.
The night began with the red carpet walk. Wow! No words… apart from WOW!
I even bumped into Aitch who was one of the people who supported me back in 2022 when I almost lost my life. It was a really nice full circle moment where I truly recognised how far I had come.
The evening was so much fun with interviews with Good Morning Britain and lots of papping by the paparazzi… I even made it into a few articles the next day:
The Full list of winners can be found here.
My plan is to return next year with the full squad with the World Cup Trophy in hand… please help make that dream happen.
I was proud to be invited to support Disability Snowsport UK’s new summer campaign. The team at DSUK were responsible for getting me skiing again after I lost my leg age 13. You can read about my journey back to skiing here. Since then I’ve been on two ski trips to Bulgaria and Les Deux Alpes, both only possible because of the confidence and support I received from DSUK
The aim of the campaign is to encourage people to take on a 10k sporting challenge to help raise £10,000 enabling other people like me to access snowsports.
I managed to mention the fundraiser in an early morning live radio interview the night after a very late party with my friends, so I am very proud of myself!
HOW YOU COULD GET INVOLVED:
1. Choose Your Challenge: whether it’s covering 10 kilometres or taking 10,000 steps, it’s up to you. Make it your own and the possibilities are endless.
2. Register & Set Your Target: Register by clicking the “Sign Up Now!” button above and then setup a JustGiving page for yourself or your team. Share your journey with friends and family, and monitor your progress towards your fundraising goals.
3. Share and Celebrate: Join our WhatsApp Challenge group to share your progress, celebrate milestones, and encourage fellow participants. Tag us and use the hashtag #TeamDSUK on your social media channels.
Or, if you’re not sporty, you could just donate to Disability Snowsports UK here.
The BBC have picked up on my story and I was asked to film a piece for the news. It was very exciting when I saw it on the TV – I was about to head out to the PFA Awards… I don’t usually dress that glamorously in my own home on a random Tuesday!
There has also been some great coverage of the campaign in Staffordshire Living Magazine.
Skiing is magical and it played a major part in my life before I lost my leg. Now thanks to DSUK I can still experience that magic, and for that, I will be forever grateful.
This summer the wonderful pro bono campaign by Kitchen Soho introduced us Amputee Lionesses to the world. It began back in May when Ed Chilcott, creative founder of the advertising agency made it his mission to get us amputee lionesses to the World Cup in Colombia this November. We need to raise £50,000 to cover the costs of getting to the tournament and with no FA support, no financial backing and no official sponsors, Ed realised we were going to need all the help we could get. He brought on board the amazing filmmaker Deane Thrussell, and together they produced this wonderful campaign film:
Filming took place at our home ground at Reaseheath College. It was a truly magical day with the sun setting on the final shot of the evening:
The campaign launched when I was on holiday, but three of the team went on the This Morning sofa to discuss the campaign. This was arranged, again totally pro bono, by the wonderful PR guru Nick Ede from East of Eden agency.
With the help of Limited Space Media, posters of our campaign were visible up and down the country on massive billboards. I had so much fun tracking them down and posing next to them for scale.
In particular the massive billboards on both the Northbound and Southbound sections of the M5 were pretty impressive!
We were also front page of The Daily Express, with a double page spread detailing everything about us and our campaign, again all thanks to Nick and his team at East of Eden.
Again I had a fun time popping to my local newsagents to pick up a copy:
Our advert has been shown on Sky Sports News, and in between coverage of the Paralympics:
The full film has even been shown up and down the country in cinemas before feature films:
We’ve even had massive adverts in all of the big newspapers:
However we are still a massive way off our target and I have started to worry that we won’t be able to go to the World Cup. I have lost so much in my life already and I don’t want to lose this chance. I just don’t understand how we can have a campaign with so much reach and so much pro bono support, yet we still haven’t managed to get the attention of any big brands or big sponsors. Is it time to get angry, or just stay deflated and let down? Should I accept the fact that brands don’t care? That companies don’t care? That the FA doesn’t care? What a blow for me and my team. Hey ho, we will all keep pushing and hope for a last-minute miracle. If that miracle is you, or anyone you know, please share the link, or donate here.
