Spec Work

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Spec Work *

The following briefs were completed during my Level 3 Copywriting Module in Creative and Professional Writing at UWE.

Post for LinkedIn

Written for a Product and Design student at the University of the West of England.

Written for post-graduate Gerald Lee, CEO of Mach D, communicating the pivot of his cryptocurrency business model.

Outreach Email to National Farmer’s Trust (NFU)

Written on behalf of post-graduate student Youssef Alborei, CEO of AgileField Robotics, seeking NFU’s assistance in contacting farmers.

Excursion Description

A brief supplied by Stratton Craig, requiring website copy for a client Oceanic Wonders (not their real name).

UWE Blog Post

Written for a UWE marketing campaign - telling real student stories, while championing and raising awareness of the wellbeing or careers advice services.

Alfred Jones - Customisable Children’s Walker for Living with Cerebral Palsy

I’ve always been a people person.

When I’m in the concept stage of designing a product, usefulness is the most important factor. How can I help people? And how can I do that while also helping the environment?

During my final year of Product Design at the University of the West of England (UWE), I wanted to learn about the problems faced by young people who require walkers for Cerebral Palsy.

Learning something new or developing a new skill isn’t something I find daunting anymore. I’m a self-taught pianist, carpenter, and I’ve started running marathons in recent years.

In 2024, I completed a placement in design and construction, where I also gained experience in web design, graphic design, and branding.

I’m motivated by discovery. I want to gain understanding in as many fields as I can. This is likely why I’m so passionate about traveling too. I want to experience the world and different ways of life as much as I can (while I have the privilege to do so).

Through my research of assistive technology, and the needs of those living with Cerebral Palsy, I discovered several things about walkers:

They are not designed for the individual user, and the limited number of sizes and adjustments available are insufficient.
They are not designed to be appropriate for body and lifestyle (If it doesn’t fit in a car, fold up, or suit the home it is being used in, it is not appropriate).
They do not fit into a system of reuse. As a child grows up, or their needs change, they’re required to get new walkers. If a walker gets damaged or is faulty, it is often thrown away because they are difficult to repair.
They do not offer users the ability to showcase their personality. They come in a limited number of colours and are not designed with aesthetics in mind; they are designed only for practicality and necessity. Personal choice and stylistic preference have been given no consideration.

Landfills are overflowing today because of the lack of connection we feel to our belongings. Caring for and giving meaning to the things we own is what stops us from throwing them out.

But why would anyone feel connected to a piece of equipment that isn’t designed for them, doesn’t reflect their identity, and fails to function properly for their needs and lifestyle?

Every child living with Cerebral Palsy should be able to rely on adaptable assistive technology for their entire life - technology that reflects their needs and personality - with the chance to pass it on.

Using the information I’d gained from my research, I designed a walker that is:

Tailored to the user using parametric design; every measurement and requirement is taken into consideration before it is manufactured.
Adaptable for the user and their needs, allowing them to use the same walker throughout their lifetime.
Entirely customizable. The user can choose their wheels, accents, colours, and overall aesthetic.

This walker is an assistive technology that gives the user freedom and a sense of pride in owning it. I have already received interest from a contact in India, who is interested in making the technology with both manufactured and printed parts.

This project isn’t just about designing a better piece of assistive technology. It is about designing a better experience for the children who use them.

By focusing on people-centred design, I aimed to create a connection between the user and the product. This connection, I believe, is essential for creating something that lasts—something that’s cherished, cared for, and ultimately, part of someone’s life story.

Mach D Newsletter

Big News

Our New Exciting Features!

Personalised Learning Pathways and Trading Simulator

Mach D is breaking new ground with our trading simulator. By combining AI-powered insights and personalised learning, users can practise strategies for trading cryptocurrency and build their confidence in a risk-free environment.

We’re well on our way to becoming the industry-leading provider of crypto-related education and safe-trade experimentation.

To find out more, click the link below, or feel free to contact us.

<<Hyperlink>>

Find out More

Subject: AgileField Robotics Partnership Request

Hello [x],

My name is Youssef Alborei, creator and CEO of AgileField Robotics.

At AgileField Robotics, we’re passionate about giving small-scale farmers access to affordable advanced technology.

Small farmers are facing big challenges. Year on year costs are rising, and bigger holdings gain a greater share of the market. Our solution to these challenges is simple: the implementation of low-cost, adaptable and upgradable robots.

We are currently working on a model that specialises in a harvesting function. Our longer-term aim is to design additional and adjustable functionalities.

We’re hoping that the NFU will be able to help us get in contact with farmers about the challenges they currently face, in order to understand what functions would be most helpful for the robots to perform for them.

This could be through face-to-face meetings with your members or simply providing them with our prepared survey to complete.

Please let us know if either of these would be possible.

We hope to hear from you soon,

Youssef Alborei

CEO, AgileField Robotics

Blissful Botanical Gardens and Underwater Views

This tour explores the vibrant west side of Roatán, the largest of the Bay Islands. You’ll begin by wandering through the Arboretum botanical gardens, taking in the tropical scenery of native trees and giant palms, spotting rare flowers and birds. There’s also the chance to visit the indoor flower pavilion and outdoor hydroponic vegetable garden.

In the West-End village, you’ll be treated to a Cocoa experience in the Mayak Chocolate Shop, followed by a tour through the Rusty Fish – a gallery of beautiful artworks and sculptures made with recycled metals.

Your final stop takes you aboard a semi-submarine experience, where you’ll witness the dazzling beauty of one of the world’s greatest barrier reefs through an underwater observatory.

Discover the wonder of the Arboretum Botanical Gardens
Visit the traditional shops of the West-End Village and relax with sea-side views
Experience the natural beauty of a protected marine park through a glass-bottomed boat

Whatever you’re afraid of, do it

Better late than never

On my first day at UWE, I stepped into a Psychology lecture hall with countless other fresh-faced students – most of them a few years my junior – feeling self-assured and like I had it all figured out. By the end of that first week, however, I was terrified. The prospect of making new friends and building a new life was overwhelming, but it was more than that. I knew from that first day, that my heart wasn’t in it. I was panicking. Was I really about to do a three-year degree that I wasn’t interested in, after so much work to get here?

After a few conversations with other students, the Creative and Professional Writing course was mentioned. I’d heard that UWE was well known for its writing degree, but this was the first time I allowed myself to consider it as a real possibility. I visited the careers advice hub, where I was offered advice on making my choice and given the relevant information to transfer courses. I spent that evening pacing in my room. What if I changed course and it was a mistake? I would be starting a new degree having missed starting block and week one. But there had been a nagging feeling in me ever since I’d heard about the writing course. I decided, to hell with it, and requested the transfer. The next morning, I awoke to an email with my new timetable. I had a scriptwriting class in an hour.

Passion and Vulnerability

I remember that first class clearly; we were discussing world building and characterisation. I recall thinking, I get to study this? I really get to learn about these things? I knew within five minutes of that lesson, that I’d made the right decision for me.

Creative degrees make you dig deeply, uncomfortably so. Insecurity painted much of my first year. Every time I shared my work my voice shook and my cheeks burned. The beautiful thing was that it happened to other people too. I saw their nervousness and felt we were united by it. Being unsure of myself and learning my craft no longer felt like something to be ashamed of. It was brave. In addition to that, it felt so encouraging to have people take my creative pursuit so seriously. Teachers had praised my writing in the past, but never to the extent that I was told to pursue it. Writing never seemed like a viable option, financially or otherwise. But here I was, having peers and lecturers encouraging and praising my creativity, as if it was something real, as if it had value beyond just me.

Imposter syndrome

For a while, this encouragement had an almost adverse effect. Who did I think I was? Surely, I couldn’t be a writer, an ‘artist’, it seemed ridiculous. What if someone found me out? I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop, but it never did. I saw my talent reflected not only in the grades I received, but in the feedback I was given by other students and in one-to-ones with my lecturers. I realised the only thing standing in my way was my disbelief in myself. Trusting that you’re capable and worthy is not a transition you make overnight, but it is a muscle that can be built overtime. My degree has been the key to that. One which I’ve been searching for my whole life.

Once I started to get past my own self-doubt, I was nearing the second year of my degree. My anxieties had transferred to more practical worries. Maybe I was a writer, but would I ever be able to support myself through creativity? Coincidentally, several opportunities began to surface. Our lecturers started pointing us to internships and placements that were available for us to apply to. With my newfound attitude of ‘why not me?’ I applied. I was accepted.

The ‘real world’

I spent the summer after my second year doing a paid internship with a copywriting agency, the Writing Club. The experience was invaluable. I was part of an entire team of people being paid to be creative. It was a world I hadn’t dared to dream of. I made contacts and built a network for myself, as well as working on live briefs which I was able to add to my portfolio. This window into what life may look like after my degree made me realise that making a living from being an artist wasn’t just a dream, it could be a very real possibility.

I’m currently completing my third year and feel more than ever that as long as I follow what I am passionate about, which is often what scares me or makes me feel vulnerable, I’m probably going in the right direction.