Miss Hampshire

Last night I attended the Miss England semi-finals in Kelham Hall, Newark, Nottinghamshire, and what a night it was.

(Before I get into it I have to say I am so proud I managed to get to the venue at all. I had a cancelled train and when I finally rocked up to Newark I found the main road closed off as there was a fire in the town centre. I hope everyone is okay from it, and big thanks to Alex Miss Forest & Fens for my lift to Kelham Hall, and to Miss Basingstoke and her Mum for the ride and lodgings back!).

Let’s be honest – getting through the Miss England semi-finals is tough. 50-60 amazing contestants vying for ten spots who all in my opinion were great enough for the national stage. I didn’t envy the judges one bit last night!

The contestants first took to the stage in their amazing eco-wear creations which is always a favourite round of mine. This round really allows contestants to show their personalities, passions and causes and this year the semi-finalists outfits were incredible. There were some truly unique outfits as well as some great numbers demonstrating support for a number of charities including the British Legion and Breast Cancer UK.

With the contestants already taking part in a closed door interview beforehand and a country themed photoshoot earlier in the day, they now took to the stage one last time in evening wear. They were all so serene and elegant it was a real joy to watch.

Sitting beside me were a number of grand finalists who have already qualified for the national finals. We all had good friends competing so the girls on stage had some serious support from us all at the back of the room. It was great to meet new faces and catch up with the girls from last year.

I bought a raffle balloon from reigning Miss Leicestershire Holly Desai which unfortunately slipped out of my hand so I’ll never know if I was a winner! Stephanie Hill, Miss South Yorkshire performed a number of beautiful songs – her voice is stunning and she is just born to be a star. Both of these young ladies remind me of real Disney princesses – Jasmine and Elsa perhaps!?

Reigning Mr England Jordan Williams jetted in from Gibraltar where he had been judging their national competition. He sung a number of modern and classic songs and as usual had the whole audience in rapture!
A number of Mr England contestants were also attendance competing for the Top Model title. This went to Robert Dawe who I have met before and he does know how to rock a catwalk so well done to him and all the other Mr England finalists for putting on a great show for us.

Okay so now…. The results!

(Also big thanks to Mary and Angie for allowing us girlies to crown and sash the top 10. The two girls I ended up crowning are two of my absolute favourite friends, both Charlottes, in Miss England so you really made me the happiest girl, as I was so happy for them!)

Miss Popularity -  Charlotte Rudham, Miss Charity Queen
Miss Charity -  Rose Marnie, Wildcard BWAP Winner
Miss Publicity Queen – Sophie Smith, Miss Cheltenham (she won Come Dine With Me!)

Judges choices….

Miss Brighton Angel Collins
Miss Somerset Emily Saunders
Miss Bolton Laura Collins
Miss Rickmansworth Charlotte White
Miss Sandhurst Francesca Hull
Miss Skegness Olivia Green
Miss Norwich & District Cheraleigh Van Zanten

Well done all the contestants it is such a tough competition but please keep coming back and trying as you can only gain more experiences. Thank you to Angie, Rachel, Linford, Mark, Mary, Andrea, Diane, Lisa, Karina, Kerry, Kirsty, Andrew, Kev, Simon, Paul and anyone else I missed as the Miss England team just pull it off every time! (I’m very sorry if I did miss anyone I got in at 2.30AM yaaaaaaaawwwwwwn)

Looking forward to seeing my new buddies and the qualifying top 10 at the finals which is very very soon now!

P.S Thank you Sophie for lending me your dress! I had so many compliments!

P.P.S Big thanks to the Periscope team Lewie and Liv for pulling off live broadcasts of the show. Can't wait for the finals coverage either!

We also compete to make the best eco-friendly outfit in a Miss Eco fashion show. This outfit can be sourced from recycled materials, borrowed from a relative or bought from a charity shop.

So I was super excited to present Southampton City Council’s Upcycled Fashion Show as part of National Recycle Week to promote clothing reuse and recycling, so I could get some ideas for my Miss Eco outfit which I will wear at the Miss England finals in August.

Loretta, Southampton City Council’s Recycling Officer, organised a fantastic show with Gale who introduced me. The models were also so professional – and particularly the children who taught me a thing or two about catwalking!

There were 43 looks in total which was amazing to see that sheer amount of recycled items in one hour. One collection that really stood out was by Mille Butler-Hiorns, A Masters student from the Winchester School of Art, Millie created three outfits from repurposing old denim clothing in her wardrobe.

Tamara from Rosewood Free School finished the show in a lovely blue floral skirt and flower appliqué top. She was an absolute inspiration and afterwards we had a picture and I arranged to visit her school, which provides education and care for children with profound and multiple learning difficulties. I also promised her I would get her a crown so I will get hunting for a spare soon!

The full album from the event is located here.

Thank you to David Freeman for the photos and being supportive as usual. Best sponsor ever! Also thanks to my Step mum and Dad for coming along and watching me present.  Since I was a kid I have wanted to be a T.V. anchor so as soon as a get a mike in my hand I am in my element!

Thank you to Loretta, Gale and all the volunteers for putting on a great show and for my flowers, and a massive well done to all the amazing models; Tamara, Karen, Sue, Fiona, Amber, Kesha, Jilly, Elsie, Saskia, Opkar, Francesca, Cara, Isaac, Ruby, Jason, Viv, Millie, Sophie, Shobna, Becky, Christyne, Lucy and Veronika.

David is now officially my sponsor for the Miss England finals so I am very excited to be working with him and I hope to do him and his amazing photography skills proud. The Miss England competition is so tough this year and it is incredibly difficult to even pick out a top 15, so I am glad I have a sponsor with words of wisdom who can help me improve – and who has also photographed many former Miss England’s!

We first went to Furzey Gardens, which is a haven of tranquillity set in Minstead, in the heart of the New Forest. These beautiful gardens feature award winning public gardens and thirty or so fairy doors which you can explore! There were so many different colours and types of flowers so it was a great background for some of the floral outfits I brought with me.

Shooting three looks here was brilliant fun and the weather was perfect for the shoot.

We then headed down to Milford on Sea for a beach shoot. Now, normally I like Milford as it is such a picturesque little beach, but unfortunately by the time we got there it was blowing a gale and while we did get some good pictures, the wind kind of ruined my hair, makeup and my hat barely survived the fiasco. David remained super professional and still encouraged me to get some more good photos but I think I may need to reshoot some beach fashion ones in calmer winds!

Thank you for a great day David and thank you to my boyfriend Ian for being our lighting assistant for the day!

Suppliers of fabulous wedding gowns, special occasion and evening wear, Mon Cheri Europe allowed some of the Miss England finalists to pick out their evening gowns and have a few photos in the beautiful dresses – and I was very honoured to one of the select few.

I walked in and was greeted by two rails of beautiful gowns in an array of colours, styles, sparkles and cuts. The variety was ridiculously good and every girl had a struggle to pick just one I think. I was torn between three dresses but eventually I came to a decision. I tried to go for something a little different but within my comfort zone so I would feel confident and myself, but have ramped it up a notch.

The staff at Mon Cheri were so lovely and helpful – they gave honest advice which was great and we also had Miss England and Miss U.K. 2014 (4th at Miss World) Carina Tyrrell there to give us some ideas on what suited us. I am so glad she was there as I kind of fell in love with a certain gown, but she was honest (and right) about it not being ‘me.’ As soon as I got home and showed my family the pictures they 100% backed Carina’s opinion on that dress, and loved the one I went with.

What was extra nice about the day was meeting old and new faces competing in the semi-finals and finals of Miss England. I got to catch up with Maria Miss Coventry, Holly Miss Leicestershire, Giorgia Miss Northamptonshire and Stephanie Miss South Yorkshire, and got to meet Miss Briony-Mai Cornwall, Brianna Miss Devon, Miss Brianna Ipswich & District, Cheraleigh Miss Norwich & District, Jade Miss Surrey and Rachel Miss Middlesex. There was such a good camaraderie between us all and their advice was brilliant. We helped each other into the dresses and gave honest feedback. There was no clawing or cat fighting over any dresses - everyone there was a real girl’s girl and I really enjoyed spending my day alongside such inspirational young women.

I’m tempted to go back and pick out another to wear to the semi-finals now ha ha! I would 100% recommend visiting the shop and wearing Tony Bowls/ Mon Cheri – definitely my favourite dress I’ve ever worn.

Thank you so much to Mon Cheri, Kev Wise, Carina, Angie and the gang at the Miss England office and Paula my organiser for gifting me this beautiful dress. Can’t wait to wear it now! X

P.S. The dress I got is not in any pictures. It is a secret to be revealed at the finals on the 13-14th August!

On Saturday I joined Elizabeth Caush, business support office at Portsmouth Library and author of ‘The Blanket Book’ at the Knitting in the Park event she had organised in Victoria Park, Portsmouth, Hampshire.

The gathering was to mark the international World Wide Knit in Public Day.

I was maybe a bit ambitious when I turned up a complete novice expecting to be able to knit a teddy bear straight away. However, it only took around 15 minutes for me to start to understand the basics, and once you get into a rhythm, it becomes second nature.

I learnt two types of knitting – garter stitch and the knit stitch. At the moment my bear looks more like a blanket for a worm-type creature, but I promised the ladies that attended that I will finish it and take a picture for them.

While I really enjoyed learning a new hobby, what I enjoyed more was meeting up with such an eclectic group of women. They had so many stories to share, and so many talents to show me – their knitting was so unbelievably good! They all taught me a few things and I am very grateful they helped me as their knitting items were a bit intimidating for a novice!

I’m going to be carrying on my new skill and will incorporate it somehow into my ecological fashion wear outfit I am making for the Miss England Eco Fashion Show in August.

Thanks to Elizabeth and the gang for having me!

x

P.S. Portsmouth News visited us and covered the event.

I have a unique opportunity for one business. It isn’t often you receive a spokesperson for your brand for a full year, with national and international exposure, with the potential to reach new clients and business contacts.

Becoming a contestant sponsor for Miss England offers that.

Why be my sponsor?

Yearlong spokesperson

I can support your brand fully through attending events and exhibitions, handing out supportive documents and physical information at my Hampshire events and throughout the national finals, as well as write blogs on your behalf – including your logo and information on all my publicity work.

Local presence

I have been featured in local newspapers, magazines as well as on local T.V. stations and radio. I can include your logo and details every time I submit press releases, appear on the media and will verbally mention your business through my own local presence.

Online presence

Using my blog with its 10,000+ views worldwide as well as supportive social media pages

I can extend the reach of your brand to a unique, yet large and growing audience around the globe. The national finals of Miss England will also be broadcast online this year, so that is another opportunity for your brand.

Programme exposure

Your logo and brand name will appear in the programme on the night of the finals. This will be given to a select but influential group of contestant supporters, international and national judges, as well as other sponsors. You therefore will have the opportunity to build clientèle amongst other supporters and potentially expose your brand to the judges – some of which in the past have been celebrities.

Charitable affiliation

Your support to me lends support to the charities I am working with, who are:

I have appeared in the Southern Daily Echo, the Mid Hants Observer, the Basingstoke Gazette, Portsmouth News, New Milton Advertiser & Lymington Times and Your Health Hampshire through my charity work. Your brand name will be included alongside all my charity work as my sponsor which is incredibly beneficial to companies looking for more corporate responsibility and sustainability opportunities.

If you are interested, please email larissa_19_90@hotmail.co.uk

Sponsorship costs £239.00.

Thank you for reading!

Charity is a huge aspect of the Miss England competition and I believe it is the true foundation of being a beautiful individual. I asked a number of titleholders what charitable activities they are involved in and what Beauty with a Purpose means to them.

Stephanie Hill – Miss South Yorkshire 2015 and Miss England Talent Winner 2014

“As a direct result of winning Miss Talent 2014 I was able to start my own performance business 'Practically Perfect Princess Parties and Performances' from my winning 'Frozen Inspired' performance.

The Frozen franchise has been incredibly popular and has a huge following, so I thought it was an obvious decision to use my business for fundraising purposes with such a universal target market. I am working with the Miss England Office to promote their headquarters as a venue; The Sanctuary Workshops is such a versatile establishment which can cater for any client's needs. The venue can be used for weddings and other functions, as a rehearsal space, and is frequently used for classes such as yoga and other physical activities. The Sanctuary Workshops was the perfect setting for my 'Afternoon With Elsa', with an added bonus of featuring an ice white decor to really create the magic for the children who will be attending!

'An Afternoon With Elsa' featured a sing-a-ling performance, 'Build Your Own Snowman', Frozen-inspired party games, face painting and much more! Through running my children's party business, I have been able to experience myself what the target audience expects from an entertainer, so I am hoping the event met everyone's expectations and encouraged as much support as possible for Beauty With a Purpose!

The official Miss World Charity, Beauty With a Purpose, will be receiving the proceeds from my event. The work that is done by the candidates who fundraise for the cause is astonishing; and it is even more rewarding to see the results of the incredibly hard work the fundraisers contribute to the charity. As a student studying Radiotherapy and Oncology, I have assisted medical teams and witnessed children receiving treatment for cancer. Knowing that the proceeds raised from Miss England have funded projects that have benefited children undergoing treatment for cancer and other life-changing conditions is so wonderful, and being able to campaign for the charity from a cause so close to my heart makes every effort to raise money even more worthwhile. Beauty With a Purpose helps disadvantaged children, whether the children be suffering from an illness or be suffering from poverty, the funds raised go to an essential cause. Through hosting an event specifically aimed for children, the children who attend will be supporting other children all over the world, and hopefully they will enjoy themselves while doing it too!"

Emma Briggs, Miss Popularity Forest & Fens & finalist in Miss Lincolnshire:

 “To raise money for Beauty With a Purpose I have done a 15 mile sponsored walk, produced a charity cover of Fix You which is on sale on BandCamp and I have also sold some of my clothes on eBay with all profits going to the charity. I am really inspired by the work the charity has done so even if I do not win this round, I am going to continue to raise money for BWAP! Myself and the current Miss Nottingham, Rebecca Drysdale, have joined forces to organise a charity dinner and ball which will be held on Saturday, August 1st at the Hilton in Nottingham. Profits made from ticket sales will be donated to the charity as well as any money from raffle ticket purchases on the night. We are in the early stages of organising this so there may well be more going on on the night to raise even more money to help BWAP continue their amazing work!! If I do win the Popularity round or Miss Lincs I will be planning more events in the run up to the national final as well!”

Briony-Mai Reynolds, Miss Cornwall 2015:

“I am hosting a Beauties vs Beats Paintball Day, and as well as Beauty With A Purpose I am raising money for Help For Heroes as all the males in my family are military or have been at war.”

Alex Ross, Miss Forest & Fens 2015:

“I've been raising money for BWAP by busking and I will also be raising money for Cancer Research in the lead up to the finals, as well as obviously the crown charity challenges too. I've got a few things in the pipeline but they aren't set in stone so I'll have to get back to you on those. I'll be taking part in a charity boxing match for BWAP soon as well.”

Me:

A wise owl once told me that it is with beautiful actions that we change the world. And these words could not be truer. It is so rewarding to see hard work and compassion put to use to alleviate poverty, provide healthcare and give education.

I have worked with a number of charitable organisations: Wintercomfort, Kidney Research UK, YOPEY, Age UK, Naomi House & Jacksplace, Trinity Winchester, Cystic Fibrosis Trust South, Macmillan, Southampton Hospital Charity and of course BWAP.

I work very closely with Southampton Hospital Charity, especially the oncology unit. I suppose going through what my family did has given us, me, a real sense of purpose to make a difference in the world. I got involved with the hospital after a very close family member was treated there, which I fundraise for and have recently presented and modelled at the hospital’s charity fashion show and ran a half-marathon for it.

So I know first-hand just how much these vital funds and proceeds raised from Miss England contestants will fund brilliant projects benefiting children. Nobody should have to live with cancer, especially not children.

Visiting those wards and watching people have chemotherapy was harrowing. But all I had to do was watch and see, and it made me realise how brave and courageous everyone suffering from cancer is - but for children to have that disease is heart-breaking.

However, we can beat cancer through our fundraising, and more people survive now than ever before.

I am honoured to support charities like BWAP and SHC that are so close to my heart because they have allowed me to grow into the person I am now –  a better person that I am proud to be. BWAP has truly allowed me to become the very best version of myself at the same as saving children worldwide from suffering, sickness and poverty and I can’t thank the organisation enough for giving me that opportunity.

So what is beauty with a purpose? I believe it is about being the very best you can be, and giving your heart and compassion to others. Be strong, be an example, be kind. Get back up when life gets you down and bring others up around you. The greatest trait humanity has is our huge capacity to love, so giving back, helping others and just being a moral and good willed person is a purpose to be here, a purpose to live life. A purpose to be considered beautiful.

Sunday was a beautiful day in Hampshire and a perfect day for charity campaigning. I attended the Brackenwood Festival 5K race to encourage race goers and spectators to support the Cystic Fibrosis Trust “Breathe With Me Strawfie” Challenge.

The Brackenwood 5k is a really unusual race in that the route involves a dash around the Festival Place shopping centre in Basingstoke, as well as a local park. Luckily Sunday opening hours mean no shopaholics were injured during the race ;)

I am really passionate about working with the CF Trust and I want as many people as possible to get taking Strawfies (straw breathing selfies) as it is Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Week this week!!!!!

Cystic fibrosis is a life-shortening genetic condition – only half live to celebrate their 40th birthday. It causes the internal organs, especially the lungs and digestive system, to become clogged with thick sticky mucus, resulting in chronic infections and inflammation of the lungs.  Around 10,000 people are affected in the UK.

I was influenced to take part in the charity campaign after my blog on my journey to Miss England was spotted by one of the Trust’s volunteers. It has since been picked up by Australian rugby union player Nathan Charles, who has been encouraging people down under to do a ‘strawfie.’

Miss Basingstoke Nicola Ascroft, a semifinalist in the Miss England semifinals and runner up to the 2015 Miss Hampshire title, also joined me encourage people to take a ‘Strawfie’ in her home town, and it turned out she knew one of the volunteer physio’s helping out!

It was a wonderful event and so many people came together to support the CF campaign. We even had a dog called Pepe get involved! The winners of the 5k all took part of well despite being seriously out of puff. The great thing about doing a ‘Strawfie’ after a run is that it really brings home how sufferers feel every day with such reduced lung capacity.

Get involved:

The action of breathing through a straw, while pinching your nose, emulates the reduced lung function experienced by people living with cystic fibrosis.

Take a selfie of yourself breathing through a straw (a Strawfie) and donate by texting BWCF64 £ (amount) to 70070 or visit visit the just giving page.

Then post your selfie and donation online (Facebook/Twitter/websites/blogs) with a comment about how it made you feel. Remember to nominate friends to try the Strawfie Challenge as well! Visit the Strawfie Breathewithme page as well

Both Run Britain and Run England are also supporting the campaign and also Springfree Trampolines UK Distributor – The link is that people with CF have to exercise regularly (running and bouncing are excellent) as physiotherapy.

But I wouldn’t have it any other way. Regional organiser of the Mr & Miss Hampshire competition Paula Langley told me at a recent event we attended together how proud she was of me using my title so much, and that really made my month. You don’t often get the opportunities you do when you represent your local county, so I want to make the most of it.

Southampton Hospital Charity Fashion Show

Right at the start of the month I modelled and presented at the Southampton Hospital Charity Fashion Show with L.K. Bennett and Clinique. I have done a little catwalk work before, but what I was nervous about was my speech on what the charity means to me. I am used to public speaking, but this was really a story from the heart and it was difficult to not get emotional. A copy of my speech can be found here. We managed to raise £3,285.38 from the evening which is amazing!

Buckinghamshire Finals

I attended the finals of Mr & Miss Buckinghamshire a few weeks back and what a great event it was. Organised by the Heslewood family, with Miss England 2013 Kirsty Heslewood presenting alongside 2014 Miss Bucks Holly Finlay, rounds included Brainy Beauty and Mr Mind, and a sports round for the guys and an ecological fashion show for the women. I helped out a little with the raffle and got the girls changed and ready. It was a really well ran competition and both winners are very worthy of their titles. Thanks again for having me!

Tea & Teddies for YOPEY

If you believed everything you read about young people in the press, you wouldn’t have a very good of the generation. YOPEY recognises the great young role models we have and rewards young unsung heroes instead.

Our Crown Charity Challenge for the month of May was to host a tea with teddy party to fundraise for YOPEY. I invited my three best friends from uni down for the weekend and we enjoyed some tea and pastries in the garden alongside our best bear friends.

Highcliffe & Infinity Camera Club Shoot

My sponsors of Miss Hampshire were having a field trip down Milford Beach for the portrait session and I was so excited to be invited along too. I owe this club a lot as they got me to the finals!

We tried and tested a lot of photography techniques and theories in quite difficult and bright conditions, but we managed to get some good images. What is great about working with multiple photographers is seeing the difference in images that were all taken in the same place at the same time.

Trip to Miss England HQ

I popped up with Paula to support Miss Basingstoke in her popularity round final. Winners of the popularity round from each regional were invited to participate in a country wide popularity final. The winner Shirin is simply gorgeous and a perfect Miss Popularity. I really enjoyed my visit to Leicester, the Miss England HQ, as I got to the see the wonderful team that makes it all happen, as well as meet some new and previous beauty queens.

Celebrating Macmillan’s 10th Birthday

There are only 12 regional centres in the UK that do what the Macmillan centre does at Southampton Hospital. They really do make miracles happen and I couldn’t wait to send them a social media message to show my support to them. So far I have raised just over £1,000 for them and I will not stop!

Strawfie-ing in Basingstoke

Just this weekend I attended the Brackenwood 5k to cheer on all the runners, and to get them to support our cystic fibrosis campaign. Everyone got involved despite being seriously worn out after racing around the shops and park (it is an unusual race route to explain) and we raised tons of awareness of how it might feel to have CF. Find out how you can do a Stawfie here!

The next month is going to be even more excited with the finals not so far away now! I am knitting in Portsmouth, hosting a tea party at my local hospital, picking out my dream dress from Mon Cheri, heading to the semi-finals to support so many hopefuls who are all amazing, as well as photoshoots with David Freeman and Fresh Academy. I’ll also be working on my Age UK Big Chinwag charity challenge. Phew! 

To explain, if you won the popularity round in a regional this year, you automatically qualified for a spot in the national popularity round, and the winner of this qualifies for the national finals of Miss England.

I actually won the popularity round in my regional Hampshire heat, but because I won the overall title the popularity heat place was given to second placed popularity and overall second place Nicola Ascroft who is also the newly crowned Miss Basingstoke.

Myself and Miss Hants Director Paula Langley headed to Leicester to support Nicola in her next part of her Miss England journey. I also knew a few of the other young ladies competing so I couldn’t wait to see them all in action.

The venue of the popularity heat is what many would call the ‘holy church of pageantry’. This is because the Sanctuary Workshops is a cosy and converted church venue, perfect for holding parties and events available for hire. It also offers a number of courses and classes including Boxercise, Pilates, Confident Bride workshops and of course monthly auditions for Mr & Miss England.

Before we got the show on the road I greeted contestants friends and family who were there to watch and support their girls, and also cleared up a tea spill from Emma’s granny! Lovely lady and a lovely family. Linford also got me up on stage to talk about my experience of being in the national finals before. I told the audience how great last year had been and how I had grown and changed for the better as a result of being involved last year. I also talked about how many new friends I had made and what opportunities I had been given.

Rebecca Drysdale Miss Nottingham was in attendance as was Maria Petrou Miss Coventry – both ladies I competed with last year so it great to catch up with them. I also met Miss Forest & Fens Alex Ross and Miss Rugby Natalie Mason who are such wonderful young women and both really funny!

So, let’s get onto the girls! Each contestant had a closed door interview with the judges beforehand and then catwalked in cocktail attire for us. They then made a short statement about themselves which was lovely as we got to know what made them each stand out.

There was also a raffle to guess the name of a gorgeous cuddly bear in aid of YOPEY. I guessed twice, and got it wrong. Turns out the bear’s name was Kev!

During the day the contestants had also taken part in a photographic round with Kev Wise, and they had also been fundraising in the lead up to the competition for Beauty with a Purpose. The winners of these rounds were Shirin O’Neil for the photographic award and Nicola Ascroft for charity! I was so proud of Nicola and Shirin is a natural in front of the camera so these were both worthy winners.

The final results of the day were…

3rd place Krishna Solanki (I met Krishna at the semi-finals last year and she is such a genuine, kind and beautiful girl so I am so happy she is in the semis again!)

2nd place Thania Gill

And the winner…. Shirin O’Neil!

I found out after from Shirin, who is so beautiful and lovely (hello Beyoncé lookalike!) that she has tried to get to the nationals FIVE times. So ladies who are reading, please don’t give up. It has taken me a few goes as well and Shirin goes to prove you just have to keep trying – I entered Hampshire four times before I got the title! Never give up!

After the heat I caught up with Miss England herself Carina Tyrrell on her latest activities and had a chat with the M/E office. Linford was so great at presenting as usual – and hilarious as well. I also met Andrea who informed me I have a pair of shoes as a prize which is always a nice bonus to your day!

I also got to meet the Mayes family, who are just such a lovely and inspiring family. Caitilin is a regular helper at the regional heats and she could be a serious events manager when she grows up, and Caera… well lets just say she put my catwalk to shame when she showed me how to strut! I enjoyed my lessons in walking Caera! Their brother Calum is taking part in a sponsored wheelchair push from Leicester to Blackpool in July 2015. Watch his visit to McLaren.

Photos by Kev Wise

Getting ready for Miss England means a lot of racing around the shops picking up a variety of things here and there. When you are focusing on raising tons for charity and toning your body, as well as various appearances and speeches, it is easy to let things slip your mind. Last year I did just that and nearly forgot my LBD and shoes for the opening of Mr World which the England contestants featured in.

So to avoid such a crisis I have been searching for a simpler solution. Elys, my local department store in Wimbledon, is just that. I started visiting as soon as I moved in January as I needed a dress altered, and the tailors there were simply wonderful. I have been back plenty of times now and they’ve saved me throwing a lot of things and giving garments a new lease of life.

What I really like about Elys is the quality of service. I have been in other department stores and been completely ignored, but at every counter members of staff are engaged were customers – they are happy and positive, not pushy, and actively show an interest in the customer.

I used to think that department stores were also for the middle aged lady of leisure, but Elys carries a number of modern, sophisticated and youthful brands that say otherwise. It has a great range from high-street to high end and is the perfect place to get some decent swimwear and underwear. I have been in and bought wedding guest attire alongside casual tops from its in-store Warehouse and Ted Baker counters. Dune is another excellently run counter and the staff there helped me pick out the perfect glamorous heels. Myself and my Mum are both catered for here and so is my entire family.

All the little extras really make Elys a great place to shop. 

An in-store nail salon and beauticians, as well as afternoon tea for a tenner means I don’t tend to shop around anymore. I originally visited for the makeup counters as I couldn’t get a good service elsewhere, as well as dress alterations, and now I use Elys for pretty much everything.

At the moment I am on the hunt for a perfect pair of jeans to wear during rehearsals, as well as a few extra make-up items and another pair of perfect day-to-night beige heels to take me everywhere, and I know where I will be getting them from!

I have just signed up to become a VIP and I have just received my Elys beauty club card which I am sure I get lots of use out of. For anyone who wants a better shopping experience, I would recommend Elys 100%.

May is the month where Miss England finalists and title holders are supporting YOPEY – a very important charity giving inspirational young people the recognition they deserve, and a fairer image in the media. If you believed everything you read about young people, you would think the whole generation was a bunch of hooligans. However, the majority of youngsters are working hard to become great role models and YOPEY recognises this by rewarding unsung heroes amongst them.

YOPEY helps set them up as positive role models for others to aspire to, and rewards young people through financial aid toward their communities, and also provides training on good citizenship.

The Miss England ladies are supporting YOPEY by hosting teddy bear tea parties, so I invited my three best friends from university over for the weekend to recognise hard working young people. 

We brought our childhood teddies to the party and had a selection of mini pastries along with breakfast tea.

I really enjoyed supporting YOPEY- if young people were recognised more and treated with the respect they deserve, then more young people would aspire to be role models and be successful.

You can also support YOPEY by:

Texting YOPE15 £amount to 70070 e.g.  YOPE15 £5 to 70070

P.S. Remember to let YOPEY know by tweeting them @YOPEYcharity

There are a few basics to my hair and makeup routine when I compete. Inspired by Miss Leicestershire Holly Desai’s recent column, here a few of my essential items and brands I love.

Water

It is so important to be hydrated – it will make you look and feel better. I gave up tea and coffee so I can monitor my energy levels better and it means I drink plenty of the clear stuff now; over 2 litres a day. I always get thirsty on shoots and on stage so I always have some bottles in my suitcase that I can refill throughout to keep me energised.

Moisturiser

Another hydrator, moisturiser is crucial to having a great base for your look. Using a good moisturiser will plump your skin and make it smooth and silky. I use Body Shop for my body moisturiser as it is deeply nourishing and Shea Beautifying Oil if I have drier areas or want a bit more of a shine, including my hair. I use Clinique Dramatically Different for my face as I have combination skin.

Primer

This is an item I skipped for years and years and it is only since my Dad gave me one for Christmas that I realised just how amazing this stuff is! I use Bare Minerals Prime Time and it leaves me with such a smooth base that my foundation glides on.  I am not an expert in the best types of primer, but all I will say is this is so important in creating a wonderful base – it hides pores, minimises imperfections and creates a lovely blurred, flawless effect.

Foundation

I don’t know how many threads I have seen on what foundation is best. I would recommend experimenting with a few as there are so many choices for different skin types. Plus I would also say use a different one for stage and every day wear. This is because most decent foundations have SPF in them which is great at protecting your skin, but on stage your face will be paler and with flash photography it can be a nightmare.  I use Estee Lauder Double Wear for stage and Clinique Even Better for day. I have also heard amazing reviews on Mac Studio Fix and Illamasqua from many competitors so these are my recommendations.

Mascara

I am utterly hopeless with false eyelashes – I have worn them once and nearly glued my eyes together. So I am not the biggest fan. I am considering getting semi-permanent extensions but time will tell. In the meantime I am adoring the new Benefit mascara called Roller Lash. I am a massive fan of their They’re Real! mascara so I thought I would venture into trying the latest product. I would suggest using Roller Lash for day as it is great for separating the lashes and giving a curly, feminine look, and for night the original They’re Real! still has the wow factor and really vamps the eyes up.

Tan

Another thing I can’t get. I am not the best with self-tanning and instead opt for spray tans if possible. If my beauticians isn’t free then I go for St Moriz Instant Self Tanning Mousse the night before and put two light layers on. It goes a nice warm colour, but when you start putting the mousse on it can have a green tinge but don’t panic! Wash off in the morning and if needed I top up with Rimmel London Instant Tan. If I can get in for a spray tan I choose St Tropez every time as it is the most natural colour and comes off evenly with the right exfoliation.

Cleansing Water

Garnier’s Micellar Cleansing Water is the stuff faces dream of. Before it, I honestly don’t know how I cleaned my face. This magical product scraps off every last bit of makeup and leaves my skin able to breathe and repair. It is so important to clear up skin when competing and to have non-make up days, and when you have this you won’t miss being made up as much.

Hairspray

I have a lot of hair. So I need a lot of product to keep it in check. I always have a decent can of hairspray, but to be honest the best I find is Boots Extreme Hold. Cheap and cheerful and super strong, I like to spray my hair straight after styling, and then pull it out of its ringlets a little to give some movement. Hairspray is the main smell you will sniff around pageant contestants backstage –that and biscuits from the fake tan. Plus pros use it on their shoes to make their walk easier and add grip.

Nail file

Never have a snag! There is something so irritating about a chip or a snap of the nail, and as you’ll be more nervous  you might be picking at your hands a little more than usual. Everyone should have one in their bag. I tend to get a Shellac manicure beforehand as I am a hand fiddler when nervous, but I always have a file just in case.

Vaseline

The holy grail of all things beauty, Vaseline can just about solve anything. In fact, if you were on a desert island, this has to be the one item you take with you. You can rub it on your teeth to stop your smile sticking, moisturise your lips and dry patches on your skin, use for a quick on the go mascara touch up and stick those nuisance pesky wandering brow hairs back into place. Basically this is a godsend.

P.S. One other thing – remember a mirror. Once you have seen how many girls attempt to fit around the provided mirrors, you’ll see what I meant. A nice No7 Boots Illuminated Mirror is a great extra to take with you.

Last night I attended the Miss & Mr Buckinghamshire finals and it was a great competition.

All the contestants were amazing! I really enjoy watching other heats and I knew a few young ladies competing so I originally was just going to attend as a guest. However, David Freeman, a regular Miss England heat photographer and the Miss Hants photographer, was covering the competition so I got a cheeky lift with him and arrived early. He is an absolute star! I really like helping out backstage and giving the other contestants some advice, as well as learning from them, so it was a real treat helping out Kerry and Karina Heslewood, the organisers of Miss & Mr Bucks.

The heat featured a number of difficult rounds, including Brainy Beauty and Mr Mind, as well as a sports round for the boys and eco-wear for the girls. Both the guys and girls were fantastic on stage and really gave the judges a hard time I think!

The judges yesterday included my organiser Paula and her lovely other half and main sponsor of Miss Hants Gideon so it was lovely to catch up with them. Linford from Miss England popped down and also judged and entertained us all – and looked super dapper in a gorgeous suit.

Myself and Miss Northamptonshire Giorgia helped with the raffle and I saw a few £50 notes go in so I am hoping we all raised lots of money for BWAP.

The eventual winner of Miss Bucks, Rachel, had no idea she had won! She didn’t even think she was in the top 11! It just goes to show you have to believe in yourself and I think she will go really far.

I was really grateful to meet Mr & Miss Cambridgeshire Chris and Amber and Giorgia  - one of the best things about supporting other contestants is meeting new friends in the build up to the final and I will be supporting Giorgia at the semi-finals in July.

Well done to Rachel, Robert, Chloe and Gemma, and all the contestants and the whole team of Mr & Miss Bucks. Kirsty and Holly did a great job presenting and thank you for having me once agai.=n.

Hi Everyone,

Thursday night was a fun filled night of fashion and fundraising for Southampton. The Grand Café hosted the Southampton Hospital Charity Fashion Show, which offered a yummy three course meal, raffle, a Michael Buble tribute act and a fashion show by L.K. Bennett – with hair and make-up by Clinque and Browns Hair Lounge. The evening raised £3,285.38!

My role was to model four outfits and make a speech on the charity, which I found very nerve wracking!

Before we headed to the venue us models had our hair styled by the wonderful team at Browns Hair Lounge in Hedge End. I loved my big bouncy blow dry with a few added curls. Thank you so much!

At the Grand Café we had our make-up done by the Clinique girls, and the new range the brand offers of colour pops for cheeks and lips is amazing! So summery and feminine – I will definitely be investing in a few colours for this season.  As a regular Clinique customer, this was a real treat!

Amba and Helen, the L.K. Bennett team, were lovely to work with and model for. I opened the show with a daisy print blue and white shift dress perfect for weddings and race days, followed by a floaty yellow and pink midi dress and peach top. The next look was more edgy, rocking leather leggings and a sharp blazer. I finished the show in my favourite red dress and cropped cream jacket, with gorgeous sparkly shoes and matching glittery clutch!

I am a massive supporter of my local hospital, and to demonstrate this I spoke at the event to tell the 150 attendees what the hospital really does. Here is my speech from the event:

“Hello ladies and gentlemen, I hope you’re having a good evening. I’m Larissa Hirst, I’m the current Miss Hampshire and this year’s county representative for the Miss England final in August. More importantly, I am a passionate fundraiser for Southampton Hospital Charity, and a keen supporter of the NHS.

Let’s be honest here. For most people, it takes someone close to you, or even yourself, to get sick before you really think about the NHS. For me, I used to take the NHS for granted, in fact I didn’t even really think about it much.

Something else I hadn't considered was my boyfriend getting really sick. But he did, and I’m here tonight to tell you our story…

My boyfriend Ian thought he had a sports injury and popped to his local GP just to be cautious about this weird lump that had appeared. When someone finds a lump, it is a thought that crosses the mind, but the probability that you’re jumping to conclusions is higher so you never think, and I never thought that at age 26, he’d have cancer.

But exactly one week after visiting his GP, Ian was in hospital being diagnosed with testicular cancer. 

The next few weeks were a blur of hospital visits, and family and friends popping over to lend their support. This was then followed by Ian’s surgery. Having moaned all day about not being able to eat, and posing in ridiculous positions in his surgery stockings, Ian went under at 4pm and was home in time for X-Factor, but not before squeezing in a quick flirt with the nurses.

It really was only in December, six-seven weeks after surgery and just after he’d had chemotherapy, that we both took a step back and looked at what he’d been through. The diagnosis, surgery and after care was so quick, yet done with the utmost care and consideration. The speed and quality of care the hospital gave us, in particular the Hamwic Ward, demonstrated that the hospital didn’t want this illness to define Ian’s life – they wanted him home and getting on with things.

It was a difficult period for all of us. I had in the back of my head the fact that my Granddad was also treated on the exact same ward, and didn’t beat cancer. Statistically though, more people survive cancer than die of it. Think about it – we all know someone that has passed away from the disease, but we also know survivors, and Ian kicked its butt. So did my step mum – she beat breast cancer and she’s such an inspirational woman having ran the London marathon and supported me in all my endeavours.

We need to stop being afraid of the word cancer, and stop thinking it’s a death sentence because the NHS and all of us are putting it in its place and telling it to jog on. The NHS is, in my opinion, one of the greatest creations of our country. And this opinion has been formed because of Southampton General Hospital.

Southampton Hospital Charity fundraises for ward and department charity projects across Southampton General Hospital, and the Princess Anne Maternity Hospital. Every ward or department has its own fund where money can be used, for new equipment for example, or whatever need the ward has.

Ian was treated in Southampton’s oncology unit – there are only 12 regional cancer centres in the whole of the UK, serving approximately 1.7m people. The oncology unit is a leader in cancer research and treatment development.

Cancer is one of the Trust’s key services, and they are developing as a global centre for excellence, and treating more and more people from outside the Wessex area.

I’m happy to say that Ian was told he was in remission in February this year, and has just completed the 13.1mile Southampton half-marathon alongside me. His fitness, his health, and his appetite for life is there because of the amazing care Southampton Hospital gave him.

I would do anything for him to have never been sick. But, here’s something I can take from my role as Miss Hampshire. When I entered the competition, I was told the contest would give me the opportunity to be the best version of myself. And you know what, that is so true, and it is truer still for what we have gone through. I am a much better person, and so is Ian. We appreciate everything a lot more now, and while we never argued much before anyway, we turn around now midway through a heated debate and say: “Hey, we beat cancer! We are so much better than this!"

I’ve learnt to be a better person through this ordeal, and through working with Southampton Hospital Charity. The charity has allowed me to meet so many amazing people, and has helped me raise thousands for the ward that saved him.

I hope you all have a fantastic time tonight and keep fundraising – you’re making a massive difference and I can’t thank you enough.

Thank you!”