Beth Mead believes it’s time to tear down misconceptions about disability

Christmas came early for the Risborough Rangers pan-disability Junior Club when Mead surprised them with the new accessible HONOR 9x smartphone.

The phone includes a groundbreaking PocketVision app making it easier for partially sighted people to read text more clearly.

The England winger said: “Football helped build my confidence as a young girl.

“I’m actually working with some individuals at the moment to learn more about myself as a player.

“I’ve dug a bit deeper into how I am as a person off the pitch and how I am on it.

“I don’t actually realise that maybe I’m different when I’m playing until someone has actually picked up on it.

“When I’m on the grass I’m confident I show who I am as a person whether it’s in a shot that I take or a skill I do.

Visually impaired YouTuber and team coach Ricky West gave Mead and the team a smartphone masterclass

“It’s so important that sport is open to everyone and HONOR is helping these young disabled people build their own self-belief and leadership skills.”

Mead, from Whitby, North Yorkshire, is currently recovering from a badly bruised leg after a crunching tackle in the Gunners’ 3-1 win at Everton.

The table toppers have scored a whopping 73 goals in just 19 games across all competitions so far this season and it has been a landmark year for Mead.

She was part of the record breaking North London Derby in Novemeber which saw 31,213 fans at the new Tottenham Stadium – the highest ever WSL crowd.

And will cherish the memory of playing in front of over 77,000 fans at Wembley in the Lionesses’ disappointing 2-1 defeat to Germany in the same month.

The new PocketVision app helps partially sighted people to read.

Credit: Alamy Live News