Stephen Collins was born with cerebral palsy and has battled against disability all his life. His dream was to have a business that helped other disabled people find the living aids that they needed but it wasn't until he discovered his new neighbour had a background in website sales and marketing that Stephen was on his way to making the dream a reality. HILARIE STELFOX talked to the entrepreneurs

PERHAPS it was fate that brought Stephen Collins and his business partner Jason Clegg together.

They met just four months ago when Jason moved into the house next door to Stephen and they got to know each other over the garden fence.

It wasn't long before Stephen discovered that Jason had experience setting up internet companies and Jason learned that Stephen wanted to start a business that would help disabled people locate and buy the specialist products that they needed.

Within a few weeks the Milnsbridge neighbours had created Living-Unlimited - a website that brings together living aids, equipment and products of all types for people with a wide range of disabilities.

"This company was put together over a garden fence, while washing the cars," says Jason, who is an internet security consultant. "But the more and more I thought about it, it made absolute sense.

"Stephen has spent his entire life overcoming the problems of disability so he knows exactly what products and services are needed. The idea of a website that brings them all together wasn't just a pipedream, I realised that it could be turned into a feasible business. We are going into this 100%."

Setting up Living-Unlimited has been a steep learning curve for both men. Jason, in particular, admits that he'd had little contact with anyone disabled before.

"I was a bit apprehensive when I first met Stephen because I didn't understand what cerebral palsy is and I didn't know how much it affected him physically or mentally. But now I don't see his disability, Stephen has completely re-written my thought processes on disabled people," said Jason.

Stephen says his biggest problem is that the condition affects his speech. "I'm slow at speaking so people think I'm slow at thinking," he says.

Jason, however, has discovered that his business partner may struggle with his mobility but he is far from slow-witted. "He has the sharpest mind of anybody that I've met," he says.

In fact Stephen, who is married with a 13-year-old daughter, is a former computer systems manager within the NHS and has a degree in computer studies. He is currently on his last year of an MBA (business administration) course at Huddersfield University.

Because he is quite severely physically disabled he has had to make adaptatations to his home and uses specialist equipment to enable him to walk, as well as type at his computer keyboard.

"Who better to run a business like this?" says Jason.

Stephen explained: "We both view this as a business with an objective to provide us with a living but also to help people in my situation. I think that people living with disability in the past have been exploited. The idea of the shop is to bring everything into one place and to sell it at a reasonable price."

The on-line shop will go live on December 1 at www.livingunlimited.co.uk and will be offering everything from toothbrush holders that mould to the shape of the user's hand, to walking frames and stair lifts.