Feisty. Are there any other words that more aptly describe Sophie Christiansen? Actually, yes. Try spirited, energetic and determined. Not to mention successful. And before you’re tempted to dismiss such accolades as a little over the top, we’re talking about a Paralympic multi-gold medallist and BBC Sports Personality of the Year contender whose sporting prowess as a world-class competitor has made her a role model for young riders and inspiration to sportspeople of all abilities. She’s also a fierce disability campaigner – her most recent petition is to improve rail network accessibility for wheelchair users after she was left stranded on a train at Godalming Station this summer.
Her heady achievements were first nurtured over two decades ago by a charity, which this year celebrates its 50th anniversary.
“My primary school had a special unit attached, which gave me the best of both worlds – support to access equipment and physiotherapists while making able-bodied friends as well.” At home in Godalming where she lives with her boyfriend, Peter, Sophie recalls her early contact with the Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA) and its immediate impact. “At the age of six, I was taken to my local RDA every other week. Riding didn’t seem like physio; I loved the freedom the horses gave me.”
Quadriplegic cerebral palsy affects Sophie’s whole body. Fine motor skills and coordination have always been a challenge, but not to the point of inhibiting her. Naturally competitive, at school she enjoyed football and hockey until riding became her main focus.
Denne historien er fra December 2019-utgaven av Surrey Life.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra December 2019-utgaven av Surrey Life.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
The House That Rocks
Transforming an impressive, seven-bedroom Victorian property in Dorking wasn’t without its challenges, but the result is a stunning family home that has had the interiors world raving
REMEDY FOR SUCCESS
Surrey’s Tracy Borman discusses the return of her heroine healer in the final book of her best-selling fictional trilogy
Love Celia
Actress Celia Imrie has travelled the world for work and leisure but wherever she goes there is a part of her which is forever Surrey
EXHIBITION OF THE MONTH
Art & Action: Making Change in Victorian Britain at Watts Gallery – Artists’ Village in Compton focuses on the Victorian roots of art activism
Electric dreams
The Range Rover plug-in hybrid brings silent electric motoring to this iconic luxury car
THE OPEN ROAD
Chris Pickering rounds up some of the best drives in Surrey
TOWN AND COUNTRY: Oxted & Limpsfield
With the North Downs looming nearby and glorious countryside surrounding it, Oxted is a town with real “escape from London” appeal and character, while nearby Limpsfield has a superb village vibe with its own community-run pub
Artist to the stars
Known as ‘The Face of Modern British Impressionism’, Mickleham-based Sherree Valentine Daines is celebrating four decades at the forefront of her field
A RIGHT ROYAL WELCOME
The Signet Collection’s inaugural hotel project is a reimagining of a former royal guest house, situated directly opposite Hampton Court Palace
TOWN AND COUNTRY: Godalming & Hascombe
On the banks of the River Wey, Godalming is a watercolour pretty town surrounded by pristine countryside and in-demand rural villages, such as Hascombe