Welcome
Hi, I am Stuart ‘Smudge’ Smith and just your typical working-class guy, who has been through a lot in his life. Living in social housing and facing what life can throw at us sometimes. Having gained much resilience from the adversity I have faced. I help others to open up on mental health and I am a strong believer in the power of peer support. Using our lived experience to help others and give different perspectives.
In December of 1994 I was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease, for which there is no cure. The treatment for CKD for those that don’t know, is either dialysis, or a kidney transplant. After being rehoused by the local council, I was eventually called up for a kidney transplant on the 5th of December 1995.
Continuing to take on all kinds of gigs and jobs, alongside the many different manual jobs & heavy lifting. Which have included Radio & TV, including 10 O clock live on channel 4, the Keith Allen meets series and more. I also created his very own sat nav voices range, for TomTom & Garmin, back in to 2006. My Gordon Ramsay Garmin voice was recently used in the first series of, Gordon, Gino & Fred.
Birthday Cards
I started making Birthday cards and greeting cards, under the name Digital Greeting cards. I set up Digital greeting cards to try and keep myself active after a tough time with my physical and mental health. As someone creative since childhood, I find it really helps me with my mental health. My Birthday cards can now have a qr code added to them with my voices and impressions. Check out my Birthday cards with qr code inside, that play personalised impressions.
Public Speaking
In 2024, I returned to doing some public speaking, after a long break. I talk openly about homelessness, social housing and how a change of circumstance can affect us. My time on dialysis, as well as 29 years of my kidney transplant. Mental health is also something I am passionate about. The power of peer support and talking to those with a shared commonality and lived experience. Using the adversity we face and the resilience we gain, helping us to move forward. Then, we can become strong independent patients and individuals.
Stuart currently sits on the social housing residents panel, as part of Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government. As well as the Housing Ombudsman Resident Panel and local authority resident panels.
Celebrity Impressions
You can hear my celebrity impressions, and character voices below. I have been performing impressions and voiceovers for over 30 years, alongside manual work. This has included radio, satellite navigation voices, greeting cards, and much more.
My voices have also been used on TV shows like Gordon, Gino and Fred, as well as 10 O Clock live, Keith Allen meets and more. Also I was part of the old Virgin Radio breakfast show many years ago.
