A MODEL and artist with cerebral palsy has been chosen as the face of an advertising campaign aimed at breaking down stereotypes of disabled people.

Jimmy Spack has a Mohican, piercings and tattoos, and is a well-known figure in Brighton.

Mobility equipment suppliers Essential Aids decided to respond to recent calls for greater representation of disabled people in the media through its Express Yourself campaign.

Managing director Alex Wrenn said: “We are determined to break down the stereotypes the label ‘disabled’ can provoke.

“The premise behind the campaign is that our mobility products help people to celebrate their identity, interests and above all their individuality.

“We’re very aware that our customers are hugely diverse and we are confident that this campaign highlights that fact.”

Jimmy, 28, is a graduate in industrial design and is known for painting the celebrities on the side of the Prince Albert pub in Trafalgar Street as well as other projects around the city.

He was keen to get involved with the company’s approach.

He said: “I feel specialist equipment can create a barrier, whereby instead of helping the users in their everyday life, it enhances their disability more.

“This is why I like the Essential Aids campaign, because it’s more about the user than the aid.”

Recent research by charity Scope revealed 80 per cent of disabled people don’t feel they are well represented in the media.

One of the most high-profile disabled models is Jillian Mercado.

The 28-year-old with spastic muscular dystrophy has starred in campaigns for Diesel and Beyonce but she is still in the minority.

She said: “My goal is to make it so that I am not the model in the wheelchair and I’m just the model.

“If I can do big shows like Alexander Wang and not be seen as the token girl, that goes a long way toward challenging perceptions.”

Essential Aids says it hopes to have created a colourful, thought-provoking campaign that helps represent disabled people and their mobility products in a fresh, exciting way.

The photos were taken by Jess Eaton and the graffiti painted by street artist Daryl Bennett.