20,000 Page Views!

I have now reached over 20,000 unique page views on my blog!

When I first created my blog, back in October 2013, I never imagined it would be as popular as it has become; with entries amassing hundreds of views at a time. I want to take this opportunity to say a huge thank you to my readership, new and old, who have helped me to achieve this milestone. I'm extremely grateful for your support!

10,000 Page Views!

I have now reached the amazing milestone of 10,000 views on my blog!

I want to say a very big thank you to my readership for making this possible! When I first set up my blog, I never dreamed I would reach such wide an audience and have so many views on each blog post within the first hours of submitting. Your support has been overwhelming and I truly appreciate it.

Thank you!

Happy 1st Birthday!

Photo of my gifts from earlier this year
when I appeared on Granada Reports

Today my blog celebrates its birthday - turning one year old! It has been exactly a year since I first set up my blog, on 8th October 2013, when I posted my initial introductory post and sight loss story!

The aim of my blog was to provide an interesting insight into the life of a young severely visually impaired person; and that focus is still as strong today as it was a year ago. With 112 posts and over 8,700 page views, I have achieved more than I ever thought possible! The past year has been an incredible journey and it has been a huge privilege to share it with my readership!

Over the past 12 months I have completed my mobility training with a long cane, finished my daily living skills with rehabilitation focused around the kitchen, whizzed through my Braille course where I now volunteer as a tutor, and completed an employability course learning a whole range of new skills.

I have been provided with some fantastic opportunities too, some of which include; a visit to the Houses of Parliament, becoming an illustrator for a magazine and living out my childhood dream, being interviewed by the Salford Advertiser, Manchester Evening News, Granada Reports, ITV News and Daily Mail Online, giving speeches at events, riding pillion on the back of a motorbike to raise vital funds, regularly blogging on behalf of my favourite charities and organisations, displaying my artwork at the Trafford Centre and St. Vincent's School for Visually Impaired Children in Liverpool, filming for Bright for Sight, helping to install an exhibition as well as donating a specially-created illustration for it.

I want to say a big thank you to all of my readers for helping my blog grow from strength to strength over the past 12 months. I look forward to the journey that the next year takes us!

100th Blog Post!

I've now reached my second milestone of 100 blog posts!

It was only at the end of April that I'd reached the milestone of my 50th blog post. Since then, I have gathered almost 8,000 unique page views on my blog - double what I had back in April! - and have achieved some great things in the past 5 months. 

Here are a few of the highlights from the past 50 posts:

Kindly invited by staff members to have my GCSE A* carousel artwork displayed at the RNIB Pears Centre in Coventry.

Completed my birthday composition to celebrate John Lewis' 150th birthday, which was displayed at their restaurant in the Trafford Centre, from 1st June to 27th July.

Designed 4 geometric shape Thank You cards for the RNIB to be given to their donors who donate to the charity.

Designed a Christmas card for Henshaws Society for Blind People to be sold at Christmas and raise funds for the charity.

Attended the RNIB Campaigners' Convention 2014 at Aston Business School in Birmingham, learning a variety of new campaigning skills through the various workshops on offer.

Displayed part of my portfolio at the Positive Eye: Positive Outcomes and Practical Approaches Conference at St. Vincent's School for Blind Children, in Liverpool.

Rode pillion on the back of a Triumph 2012 from Manchester to Knaresborough, Harrogate (150 miles there and back!) for the Henshaws Sausage Run 2014.

Undertook a 2 week work placement with the Guide Dogs Training Centre in Atherton, Leigh as part of the 12 week Skillstep course provided by Henshaws. Also fulfilled the final part of my assessment and harness training; and now waiting to be matched to my own Guide Dog!

Graduated from the 12 week Skillstep course at Henshaws Society for Blind People's Manchester resource centre over the summer months.

Completed my final illustration for RNIB's Insight Magazine as their Young Illustrator of the Year, 2014.

I want to say a big thank you to all of my readers, especially the team at Henshaws Society for Blind People and Irlam and Cadishead Now, for showing their constant support through sharing my blog entries with their wider Twitter and Facebook audiences. Your support means so much to me!

50th Blog Post!

I have now reached my 50th blog post
with over 3,500 unique page views!

I want to say a big thank you to all of my readers, especially the team at Henshaws Society for Blind People and Irlam and Cadishead Now, for showing their constant support through sharing my blog entries with their wider Twitter and Facebook audiences. Your support means so much to me!

A lot has changed since I first created my blog in October 2013 and I'm so grateful for all of the opportunities that have come my way since I've started blogging. I've had the wonderful opportunity of becoming the RNIB's Young Illustrator for 2014, followed by a media whirlwind shortly afterwards, as well as being very lucky to have the chance to regularly contribute to the Henshaws blog - as well as give speeches at some really wonderful events.

I look forward to continuing with my blogging, and
hope to reach my next milestone of 100 posts in the near future!