A disabled influencer from Hove has been nominated for a national charity award.
Alice Ella has been nominated for Influencer of the Year at the 2022 Sense Awards, which celebrates the achievements of people with disabilities.
The Hove-based influencer regularly uses Instagram and TikTok to highlight Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME), a chronic condition which causes debilitating fatigue.
Alice Ella said: “Being shortlisted for the Sense Influencer of the Year award is incredible.
“When I had severe ME in my early teens, I felt completely lost and there weren’t any online communities.
“When I had to leave school, I just had the occasional friend visit me and I wasn’t able to socialise.
“Now that we have such an incredible online community I feel so much more connected and I know I’m not alone in my struggles too.
“I also love making videos that poke fun at the chronic life, because a lot of the time if I don’t laugh I’ll cry.”
Alice Ella began using social media in 2012 to promote her music career as a singer-songwriter.
However, she began posting about her condition and invisible illnesses after realising that her social media wasn’t reflecting the realities of spending days resting or in pain after a gig.
Her social media also makes use of her skills as an illustrator and podcaster to focus on fashion, women’s pleasure and period health, breaking down taboos in fashion and sex for disabled people.
She is up against three other disabled influencers for the Sense Award: Disabled Eliza, Lauren Gilbert and Toby Addison.
Sense chief executive Richard Kramer said: “Alice Ella has created a supportive online community for disabled people, as well as educating the public about living with a chronic condition.
“We’re delighted to have the opportunity to recognise her influencing work at the Sense Awards.”
As a national charity, Sense offers information, advice, short breaks and family events, and campaigns for the rights of people with complex disabilities to take part in life.
Winners will be announced on Thursday, 24 November.
