Look I’m pretty biased so if you’re reading this, you kind
of know that I am going to advocate entering! However, I have compiled five
awesome reasons to back me up, so take a look and see what you think….
1. Confidence
I think confidence is one of the biggest
rewards you can obtain from entering Miss England. I know some people say that
entering such contests might give your self-esteem a blow, but until you’ve
experienced it, you won’t know the giddy rush you get from being on stage and
strutting your stuff, and how great you feel after meeting the judges in your
interview. I entered Miss England a few times and every year my confidence grew.
Building confidence is crucial to growing as a person and because of entering
Miss Hampshire and Miss England I feel so much more relaxed when I have to
speak to strangers or go to a job interview.
2. Friendship
I have a real close knit group of
friends from home and university, but some of my other closest friends are
through Miss England. It doesn’t matter that we live up and down the country,
it is a real unique and privileged opportunity to be involved in Miss England
and that is something very special we share.
Pageants are not bitchy. Everyone is in
the same boat, and everyone is there to make friends. What I love is helping
each other zip in to dresses and calm each other’s nerves. Some contestants end
up going on holiday together or even being each other’s flatmate or bridesmaid,
so you gain a lot of really good friends through Miss England.
3. Opportunities
You might think that doing a beauty
pageant would open a few doors to modelling assignments - and you’re right. I have had paid modelling
work which for a size 8-10 5”7 25 year old, is hard to come by! However, I have
also been able to work in presenting which I absolutely love, and also work
with a number of amazing charitable organisations. I’ve met some great local and
national celebrities, and I’ve also been to places in the country I never
thought I would. Plus I performed belly dancing by myself live on stage! You never
quite know where entering a regional heat will take you so just grab the bull
by the horns and do it!
4. Charity & community work
This is another big opportunity, and a
massive part of Miss Hampshire and Miss England. Each year the competition
raises funds for the official Miss World charitable organisation, Beauty with a
Purpose (BWAP), and they want to hear about all the amazing ways contestants
can raise funds. It's not just about how much you raise, but the effort and
energy you put in. My proudest moment to date was not getting into the finals
of Miss England for the third time (although still pretty chuffed about this),
but it was actually running the ABP Southampton Half Marathon with my boyfriend
for Southampton Hospital Charity and BWAP. This is because it was something I
thought I could never ever do, and I am so proud of finishing the race, with my
boyfriend who had just recovered from surgery, and raising lots of money for
charity.
There's also a number of ways you can
raise awareness of local charities, events and organisations. Having a title as
a competitor of Miss Hampshire is a big deal and people are going to want you
to appear to help their cause. Get involved and into the spirit; the more
people you help, the more people will know about how great Miss Hampshire and
Miss England is!
5. Fun
You get to make new friends while looking a million bucks, wear
fabulous dresses and prance around like a catwalk queen. You might even get to
meet Miss England, and Mr England as well ;) so there's tons of reasons to
enter. Or even better, you might become Miss England, and MISS WORLD!
It's basically like a really intense and rewarding girls night out
– that just lasts around a year. The best bit is all getting ready together and
having a drama over false eyelashes or blisters. Or sharing your room with an
awesome contestant from elsewhere in the country and having hot chocolate and
chatting into the night about all the great stuff you do. Or seeing your family
and friends in the crowd when you’re on stage. Or learning about where all your
hard work fundraising goes to. Or realising one of these amazing girls you know
is going to Miss World. Or realising it could be you! Okay so there are quite a
few best bits!
In the lead up to the Miss Hampshire & IOW finals on March 12th, we thought it would good to show off our amazing finalists and let you know what they are all about. 
