Miss Newark is awarded county title
A student who is the reigning Miss Newark won the title of Miss Nottinghamshire at a royal wedding-themed event at Kelham Hall and Country Park.
Aimee Knight, 18,who is studying A-levels, won her latest crown at the East Midlands heat of Miss England.
The heat involved 30 contestants from Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire and Northamptonshire who were all competing for a place in this year’s Miss England final, which will be held in the summer.
Organiser Angie Beasley said that with the royal wedding coming up they decided to ask the girls to wear a recycled outfit with a royal wedding guest theme instead of a long ballgown.
“They were encouraged to wear something that had been handed down from mum or grandma, bought from a charity shop, or made from recycled materials,” she said.
“It had to look stylish and eyecatching. We didn’t want the girls spending hundreds of pounds on new ballgowns.”
Aimee has a place in the Miss England final for winning the Miss Nottinghamshire title.
She also received a £150 dress voucher from Bella Donna Boutique, a photo shoot and a modelling job with the new ethical brand after also winning the Miss Mesheme Top Model award for the county.
The Miss Eco competition, which was won by Sophie Anderton, 19, of Claypole, who was sponsored through the competition by Newark Beauty Rooms.
She used a dress bought from a local charity shop and added a skirt made from recycled plastic bags.
She spent four weeks planning and designing the dress, attaching more than 300 pieces to create the final look.
Sophie said: "I would like to become involved with companies across the area who promote recycling, and then promote these companies using my title.
"It was such an honour to win the title of Miss Eco East Midlands as my efforts to make my eco-dress were rewarded with me winning such a well respected round in the Miss England contest."
She wins a place in the Miss England semi-final to be held at Kelham Hall on July 3.
Aimee Knight is hoping to raise money for charity during her year as Miss Newark and is also keen to get involved in local events.
Here, she writes about the Miss England competition and its charity.
“The Miss World charity, Beauty With A Purpose, was founded by Julia Morley to help disadvantaged children around the world.
“She has won a humanitarian award for her charity work so contestants are encouraged to raise money through different ways.
“The Beauty With A Purpose campaign doesn’t just raise funds, it also raises awareness of those who are struggling most in the world.
“Some projects are small and some are large but that is what makes the charity unique.
“Each project, big or small, unites the girls within the local community and beyond.
“The girls take time and effort out of their own lives to help others, even if it is just a small change to one individual. It makes a positive change in the world, one step at a time.
“The Miss England organisation proves that beauty isn’t all about high heels and pretty dresses.
“As we grow into women we discover who we are and develop into the best version of ourselves we can be.
“We can do this by taking pride in the way we present ourselves. We are real women within the local community who chose to empower ourselves by empowering others.
“In this charitable process our inner beauty outshines what we see in the mirror.
“The Miss England contest doesn’t determine who is the most beautiful, but who is the most genuine with who they are and what they do — not just for themselves but those around them because a Miss England contestant identifies problems and finds solutions.
“A Miss England contestant is an ambassador to society as a positive, wholehearted, influential woman who empowers those around her so to set the standard for other girls to follow in her footsteps.
“I am proud to be a contestant in the Miss England organisation and I can’t wait to see how I develop into the best version of myself I can be. That process has already begun.”
