Ambassadors

Kashif

Hello, my name is Kashif and I am 17 years old.  I have cerebral palsy and I am a wheelchair user. 

I really like football, and I support Chelsea Football Club.  Other things I like doing include seeing my friends, swimming and riding my bike.  I also like cooking and playing my playstation.

I don't like sad music or sad people. 

Stephanie

Hello!  My name is Stephanie Griffiths I am 20 years old,  have cerebral palsy and I am a full-time electric wheelchair user.  I have a very bright mind and know what I want from life and feel very privileged to be alive and well. 

Being disabled can sometimes make me feel quite low but life is not about being happy all the time.  I overcome this feeling by getting out there and doing what makes me feel proud such as volunteering and helping others, going out with my friends and making people laugh.

Read more: Stephanie

Dillon

Hi, my name is Dillon Chapman and I am 8 years old. I have Neurofibromatosis type 1 and I use a wheelchair quite a lot now. I live in a small village called Nunney near Frome in Somerset. This is the town where Jenson Button was born. I live with my mum Dawn, and my dad Mark.

I love anything to do with motorbikes and follow the Moto GP and British and World Superbikes all the time. Last year I had a wish granted from the Make A Wish Foundation and I met my Moto GP hero Dani Pedrosa. It was magical and I felt so priviledged to be able to do that. Dani promised that we would remain friends and this year I went to Silverstone for 3 days to see him again and it was just the best week-end ever.  Mum and Dad are going to take me to watch Dani at Catalunya, Spain next year.  This is his home track and I am so excited.

Read more: Dillon

Shivam

My name is Shivam. I am 17 years old. I have Down’s syndrome but I don’t know what it means. I feel I am different from other children. I have 2 older sisters and 2 brother-in-law and lovely 1year old niece. I love to go and stay overnight at my sisters house.

I live in Stanmore and go to Shaftsbury High School. I am in lower 6^th Form. I go one day a week at Harrow College. I enjoy going to school. I have lots of friends in school.

My Dislikes:

I hate shopping and going out.  I am scared of heights and all animals especially birds.

My Likes:

My favourite sports are football, cricket, tennis and swimming.. I really enjoy swimming. I have swimming lessons every Saturday morning. I can do 25 lengths. I support Manchester United.

At home I like playing with Wii, playstation, making cards, colouring, drawing, computers and doing workbooks and homework. My favourite subject is Maths. I enjoy after school clubs.

I also like to watch films. My favourite film is still Lion King and comedy channels.

 My favourite pet is fishes. I like to help in the house.

I like to go out to eat. I like all food, but favourite is chicken and rice.

Last year I went again to Dubai and I loved it. The sea was very nice and the weather was hot. I also like to visit my grandparents in Phoenix Arizona but haven’t been there for a while.

My wishes:

I wish I could count the money which I find very difficult to understand. My parents teach me and I am trying to understand a little.

I also wish I could cross the road which I still don’t understand how to. I am trying to learn so I can go out by myself to the shops. I find that dangerous.

I wish I could be more independent so I could do a lot of things myself.

I also want to get over being scared of animals. I try not to but cannot help it. I just start shaking.

Most of the time I find it difficult to talk smoothly as I stammer a lot and I wish I could talk like everyone else.

My future:

I want to be clever like my sisters so I try to work hard and do lots of homework. Maybe one day I will be clever.  I would like to be a teacher when I get older.

I would like to travel to visit my grandparents in Phoenix on my own if I knew how to.

I would really like to be a hero of my school and make my school proud.