Built With Heart
Building a home whilst rebuilding life
Welcome to Built With Heart.
I’m Tracy. A former specialist nurse, wife to Glynn an offshore engineer and home builder. I am a dream chaser and someone living with a life-limiting neuroimmune illness.
This website is where I share the projects, lessons, setbacks and victories that come with building a home and a life when things don’t always go to plan.
Whether you’re here for our garden renovation, outdoor kitchen, self-build journey, offshore family life or simply looking for proof that it’s possible to keep moving forward and rebuilding your life, you’re in the right place.
Looking for our free project guides and supplier resources? You’ll find them below.
Free guides and resorces
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More than a self-build story
Built With Heart began long before social media.
Just before we started building our dream home, life took an unexpected turn when I became paralysed from the neck down.
What followed were years of rebuilding. Learning to walk again. Adapting to a new reality. Navigating setbacks, uncertainty and challenges we never expected to face.
But we decided to build the house anyway.
What started as a self-build project became something much bigger. A symbol of resilience, accessibility, family and hope.
Today, Built With Heart documents what happens when life doesn’t go to plan. From home projects and accessibility solutions to family life, laughter and the next chapter of our journey, we share the real stories behind the bricks and mortar.
Because the house was never really the story.
The people, the resilience and the heart behind it are.
The Themes of Our Journey
Home and Garden Projects
From the initial sketches to the final brick, we share the raw, real-life moments of building our sanctuary.
Self-Build & Renovation
The process of building our own home, navigating the complexities of renovation and the joy of creating something new.
Accessible Design
Exploring future-proof homes and inclusive design that ensure our home is a place of freedom for everyone.
Family Life
Life with a life-limiting illness, the resilience of our family, and the laughter that defines our shared home.
The Heart of the Story
Tracy
Glynn
Teddy
Scout
Founder, storyteller, chief dreamer and professional over-thinker.
Self-builder, offshore engineer, head of practical solutions and chaos creator.
Technical support, quality control and occasional voice of reason.
The main boss and belly rub enthusiast.
Work With Us
Built With Heart partners with brands that align with our values of authenticity, accessibility, home, family and real life.
- Home and interiors
- Self-build and renovation
- Garden and outdoor living
- Accessibility and inclusive design
- Family lifestyle
- Travel and experiences
OUR REACH and TRACTION 820,000+ Total Views generated across TikTok and Instagram Reels in our last 12 weeks.
Proven Viral Trajectory: Individual video peaks hitting 95k, 91k, 86k, 58k, 51k, ,40k and 38k views.
Verified Media Story: A unique narrative backed by national broadcast features on ITV News and recognition by the Women of the Year council.
Tracy's back story
THE EXTERNAL RECOGNITION
Tracy's story is not self-reported. It has been externally verified, nationally broadcast and publicly recognised twice, nine years apart by one of the most prestigious women's organisations in the UK.
ITV News Coverage 2015
ITV News covered Tracy's story nationally under the headline: "Ed Sheeran 'aware' of bride's campaign to walk down the aisle." The piece documented Tracy's four episodes of paralysis, her determination to walk down the aisle at her own wedding, and Ed Sheeran's personal video response. The broadcast clip included footage of Tracy walking down the aisle alongside the Ed Sheeran message. This is verified national journalism not a social media post.
Women of the Year Lunch 2016
Tracy attended the Women of the Year Lunch as a woman of achievement and inspiration. Sponsored by Barclays, Good Housekeeping, Prudential, DFS and ITV's Lorraine. Theresa May was presenting. Tracy met Lorraine Kelly personally they have a photograph together.
Women of the Year Publication 2025
Nine years after the original recognition, nominating council member Mhairi Smeeton wrote the following in the official 2025 Women of the Year publication and sent it to Tracy personally alongside an Inspirational Woman t-shirt:
“Tracy Henrickson-Watson suffers from Lupus, struggles with mobility and a compromised immune system and has almost died several times but keeps fighting back. I was, and am, in awe of her tenacity.”
Mhairi Smeeton, Women of the Year Nominating Council, 2025
Nine years after first being recognised Tracy is still being written about by the people who have met her. This is not a story that ended. It is a story that is still unfolding.
