By Sarah Walker
12 April 2024
Caroline Lewis, of Cramlington has been shortlisted for two awards.
A FORMER RAF and Army servicewoman turned swimsuit model, who lives in Cramlington, has been shortlisted for two gongs at the UK Top Influencer Awards, to be held in Newcastle on April 20.
Caroline Lewis, 28, was medically discharged from the military after suffering an injury and ill health after being diagnosed with spinal spondylosis and then a large volume pulmonary embolism.
Since then, she has been successfully competing as a swimsuit model – and also tries to raise awareness of hidden disabilities and illnesses through her social media channels.
In recognition of this, she has been shortlisted in the categories of Top Micro Influencer and Inspirational Influencer at the awards, which have been organised by Chris Henderson, a model and DJ from Middlesbrough.
The awards are due to take place at Event Northumbria on Saturday April 20.
Caroline said: “I was really shocked to discover I had been shortlisted for the awards.
“I thought it was really nice to be acknowledged amongst the top Inspirational Influencers in particular, because I’ve been on quite a journey!
“I served a total of six and a half years in the Army and RAF combined but I was unfortunately injured and diagnosed with spinal spondylosis.”
Caroline was a few years later diagnosed with a large volume pulmonary embolism.
“My left lung had a lot of blood clots,” she said.
“I had to stop going to the gym and adapt to my new way of living with it’s limitations and I found I’d lost a lot of self confidence.
“Then I saw the competition Miss Swimsuit UK advertised.
“I thought, ‘I’ve got to like myself if I’m in a bikini on a runway’ so I decided to go for it, even though I had no pageant or modelling experience.”
In her first competition, Caroline came third and says she “started to grow in confidence”.
Caroline then went on to the finals and then to compete at the Swimsuit USA World finals in Mexico.
“I became part of this community of modelling and influencing and used that to start promoting my journey and promote body confidence with my health too,” she said.
“I now work full-time at a charity helpline and also have a talent agency looking after me.
“I have recently been diagnosed with chronic thromboembolic disease, I use this to push me and encourage me to live my life to the full and help others.”
Caroline is proud she is able to be “someone people look up to” when she promotes her work and health journey through her social media.
“We are in a day and age where people can use social media to create a false version of themselves but I want to try and keep being real on my social media and show that life isn’t always perfect and that’s ok too,” she says.
Speaking of the UK Top Influencer Awards, she says: “I think it’s absolutely amazing to be recognising influencers who make a difference to people’s lives and it’s fantastic that something like this is coming to the North East.
“Generally, things like this tend to be in London and hopefully this will attract some tourists to the region and show off what the city has got to offer.
“It’s also fantastic that it’s bringing a community together to recognise a lot of inspirational people who are on social media and the positive image they are trying to get across.”
She adds social media often gets a lot of bad press but the awards are an example of the good it can do.
“This shows there is so much more to social media than standing and taking a picture,” she says.
“Social media is an absolutely enormous part of our daily lives now and is used to promote a wide range of different industries and can be a force for good.
“Chris has worked so hard to bring this event to the North East and I’m looking forward to what should be a great event.”
Tickets for the UK Top Influencer Awards, which are to be hosted by TOWIE and Love Island star Georgia Harrison, are still available at Eventbrite.
Georgia says: “These awards demonstrate how influencers can be a force for good and I am very proud to be involved in the first UK Top Influencer Awards.
“I hope this will prove to be inspirational for people and encourage them to use social media in a kind and constructive way, to positively enhance and enrich their lives.
“I am looking forward to the event and the glitz and glamour it will bring to Newcastle!”
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