Semi-Finals: pageant training day
Yesterday was an incredible day - we had our semi-final pageant training day at the London Hippodrome (which is very glam!). The day was intense and exhausting - very full on and a lot to learn - but more importantly a really fun day, and a chance to meet all the other lovely girls who are in the running to be Queen of the Capital, as well as learning all about the charities Miss London are supporting.
First up was a really helpful make up tutorial from Soni, who gave guidelines on how to do flawless pageant make up, the perfect eyes and how to contour your face. I will definitely be buying some of the products she recommended as they are durable and long lasting - just what you need for an evening under bright lights.
One of the key aspects of Miss London is the charity work we do for our charities - for which I have done a bake sale and my sponsored walk. It's all well and good to raise money for charity, but it is quite another thing to see and hear what the charity do for people first hand. We had ambassadors from St Christopher's Hospice come and give us an overview of what the charity does (help young people with illnesses which impact their lives), as well as getting to meet one of the people who receives the benefit of the hospice first hand, the incredible Junior (he is so sassy on Twitter, @replay_artist). Junior shared his story with us, which was so very touching, and inspirational - it is clear that St Christopher's Hospice really help Junior out. I will hopefully make a visit with some of the other girls!
Another inspiration was Hayley coming to talk to us from Flow Aid. Until recently, I hadn't really thought that much about homeless people more than the fact that it's a crying shame there are so many on the streets in London. I definitely hadn't thought about women who are homeless, and what they do when they are on their period. Women have periods. Women on the street have periods. But women on the street don't have access to sanitary products, change of clothing, or even showers - so that once a month what is inconvenient for the ordinary woman is hell on earth for the homeless woman. It was enlightening to hear (you can see more about the charity on Twitter here @Flow_Aid). One of the ways to help the charity is to donate sanitary products to Flow Aid, which they distribute to homeless shelters to give to women. This makes the products more accessible and easier to obtain - generally making a week from hell a bit easier for those having a hard enough time as it is. All of us donated products and we had a stellar haul for Hayley to take away with her.
First up was a really helpful make up tutorial from Soni, who gave guidelines on how to do flawless pageant make up, the perfect eyes and how to contour your face. I will definitely be buying some of the products she recommended as they are durable and long lasting - just what you need for an evening under bright lights.
One of the key aspects of Miss London is the charity work we do for our charities - for which I have done a bake sale and my sponsored walk. It's all well and good to raise money for charity, but it is quite another thing to see and hear what the charity do for people first hand. We had ambassadors from St Christopher's Hospice come and give us an overview of what the charity does (help young people with illnesses which impact their lives), as well as getting to meet one of the people who receives the benefit of the hospice first hand, the incredible Junior (he is so sassy on Twitter, @replay_artist). Junior shared his story with us, which was so very touching, and inspirational - it is clear that St Christopher's Hospice really help Junior out. I will hopefully make a visit with some of the other girls!
Another inspiration was Hayley coming to talk to us from Flow Aid. Until recently, I hadn't really thought that much about homeless people more than the fact that it's a crying shame there are so many on the streets in London. I definitely hadn't thought about women who are homeless, and what they do when they are on their period. Women have periods. Women on the street have periods. But women on the street don't have access to sanitary products, change of clothing, or even showers - so that once a month what is inconvenient for the ordinary woman is hell on earth for the homeless woman. It was enlightening to hear (you can see more about the charity on Twitter here @Flow_Aid). One of the ways to help the charity is to donate sanitary products to Flow Aid, which they distribute to homeless shelters to give to women. This makes the products more accessible and easier to obtain - generally making a week from hell a bit easier for those having a hard enough time as it is. All of us donated products and we had a stellar haul for Hayley to take away with her.
Doing some choreography was next on the agenda, learning our moves and shapes for the final (should I make it through of course). This was a fantastic opportunity to learn from girls who had been through pageants before - you could tell from the effortless movements around the stage, and from the ease and confidence they exude when they're on the stage. Me - I was bloody petrified! But I soon got into the swing of it and found myself beginning to really enjoy it. My criticism was being too smiley - couldn't help the big old grin on my face! It was really fantastic to have Tammy Dexter there - it was so helpful to have such a fierce and fantastic pageant gal and model to give out hints and tips - watching her strut her stuff was like watching perfection! Definitely took a lot from watching her, and hearing her advice.
We also had the Banwell Clinic come in and Paul Banwell came to chat about safety in beauty. I've got my own opinions on cosmetic surgery and I'm sure most people do. However, there was no advocating for us all to get work done but on the contrary - it was more about how to keep your skin and your body in good health and good condition in naturals ways. Definitely DON'T burn (!!!) - the sun is the absolute worst for your skin. And keep hydrated. A brilliant Q and A was hosted and we could have asked questions all day. I also took advantage of getting some of my moles checked out - skin cancer is in my family and I am always worried about my moles (I'm a moley person!) - very useful feedback.
Overall, it was a fantastic day. I have met some incredible, awe-inspiring people. The girls were all lovely, smiley, and chatty - hearing other people's reasons for entering and about their charity work. We should hear tomorrow about the results, but for now I wish everyone the best of luck. Be it good news or bad news, I have still had a fantastic experience and met some incredible people - and more importantly, we have all helped some amazing charities along the way.
We also had the Banwell Clinic come in and Paul Banwell came to chat about safety in beauty. I've got my own opinions on cosmetic surgery and I'm sure most people do. However, there was no advocating for us all to get work done but on the contrary - it was more about how to keep your skin and your body in good health and good condition in naturals ways. Definitely DON'T burn (!!!) - the sun is the absolute worst for your skin. And keep hydrated. A brilliant Q and A was hosted and we could have asked questions all day. I also took advantage of getting some of my moles checked out - skin cancer is in my family and I am always worried about my moles (I'm a moley person!) - very useful feedback.
Overall, it was a fantastic day. I have met some incredible, awe-inspiring people. The girls were all lovely, smiley, and chatty - hearing other people's reasons for entering and about their charity work. We should hear tomorrow about the results, but for now I wish everyone the best of luck. Be it good news or bad news, I have still had a fantastic experience and met some incredible people - and more importantly, we have all helped some amazing charities along the way.
Charity Walk
Yesterday, I walked 17.5 miles for charity, right across London from Brixton to Primrose Hill - seeing all the key landmarks around this great capital along the way. My lovely housemate Eva set off with me, and our other housemate Emily joined us for a picnic lunch at St Paul's and came with us all the way to Primrose Hill. So far the running total of money raised is £235, and if you would like to donate please do so here.
The first three hours before a nice lunch pit stop were really glorious, the weather was on our side, we were walking alongside the river and it really was a joy. For me, the highlight of this walk was a chance to LOOK UP. I never walk around London and look UP - I'm always so concerned with getting to where I need to be as quickly as possible. Now I had the opportunity to admire the wealth of architecture that London has to offer. One of the running commentaries was the name of roads - there are so many fascinating names which just ooze history.
We definitely took in our fair share of landmarks - London Eye, Big Ben, Buckingham Palace.. You name it, we saw it. I felt like a real tourist, taking in all the sites, and it is just awe inspiring just how many significant buildings London has. I loved that there is a Shaun the Sheep hunt going on at the moment - they were absolutely fantastic! I felt like a small child spotting a sheep from across the road and running for a selfie. My favourite part of the whole walk was seeing the Albert Memorial - I have never seen this before, and it was absolutely HUGE - and so very, very gold! A real mark of Queen Victoria's grief and the decadence of the Empire.
By far the hardest stretch was from the Lancaster Gate end of Hyde Park to Primrose Hill. I think we always knew this would be a real challenge, as it is landmark-less, residential, and no chance of a pit stop. I really struggled here, my knees were giving in, a huge blister was brewing, we were a bit lost, and I couldn't wait to get to the end. Then we stumbled our way to Little Venice and I saw this part of London for the first time, the beautiful canals and following this all the way to Primrose Hill was just what was needed as a pick me up.
Never have I been so relieved to see Primrose Hill - one of my favourite places in London. After walking from 10:30 am we reached the summit at 6:30 pm: the incline to the summit was tough going but WE DID IT. And from the summit, we could see all the landmarks we had stopped at en route. Incredible.
Hungry, tired, aching, we walked down in to Camden (more walking!) and all treated ourselves to a well deserved Honest burger. Delicious. I ache today, but it was so worth it - an experience I won't forget in a hurry!
We definitely took in our fair share of landmarks - London Eye, Big Ben, Buckingham Palace.. You name it, we saw it. I felt like a real tourist, taking in all the sites, and it is just awe inspiring just how many significant buildings London has. I loved that there is a Shaun the Sheep hunt going on at the moment - they were absolutely fantastic! I felt like a small child spotting a sheep from across the road and running for a selfie. My favourite part of the whole walk was seeing the Albert Memorial - I have never seen this before, and it was absolutely HUGE - and so very, very gold! A real mark of Queen Victoria's grief and the decadence of the Empire.
By far the hardest stretch was from the Lancaster Gate end of Hyde Park to Primrose Hill. I think we always knew this would be a real challenge, as it is landmark-less, residential, and no chance of a pit stop. I really struggled here, my knees were giving in, a huge blister was brewing, we were a bit lost, and I couldn't wait to get to the end. Then we stumbled our way to Little Venice and I saw this part of London for the first time, the beautiful canals and following this all the way to Primrose Hill was just what was needed as a pick me up.
Never have I been so relieved to see Primrose Hill - one of my favourite places in London. After walking from 10:30 am we reached the summit at 6:30 pm: the incline to the summit was tough going but WE DID IT. And from the summit, we could see all the landmarks we had stopped at en route. Incredible.
Hungry, tired, aching, we walked down in to Camden (more walking!) and all treated ourselves to a well deserved Honest burger. Delicious. I ache today, but it was so worth it - an experience I won't forget in a hurry!
You can have your cake - and eat it too!
To try and raise some more cash dollar dollar for the fantastic Beauty with a Purpose and St Christopher's Hospice, I held a charity bake sale at Brixton Library on Saturday - baking everyone's favourite treats: brownies, flapjacks and lemon drizzle cupcakes, mmmm mmmmmmmm.
For me, it was really nice to do something in the local community - I have been a Brixtonian for 6 months, and although I have tried out some of the local eateries, shop on the market every day and appreciate the vibrancy and musicality of Brixton - I feel like there is so much more to explore! So it was amazing to sit in Brixton library on Saturday afternoon and meet the locals. I had some really interesting conversation with some fascinating people and everyone was so friendly and supporting - especially when I told them about my pageanting quest.
And more importantly, the cakes went down a storm (definitely fed some hungry readers!) and I raised £22 for charities. Okay, not groundbreaking sums, but every little helps and in terms of getting integrated into my community - well couldn't have gone better! And the staff at Brixton library couldn't have been more helpful and more lovely.
This all just works towards helping these amazing charities and builds a platform to work on - with my charity walk this Saturday! You can sponsor me here: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/JessicaMoffattOwen
Don't forget to like my photo on Facebook (here: https://www.facebook.com/missenglandnews/photos/a.10153149594842383.1073742046.261128227382/10153149610212383/?&theater)
And you can also text vote, simply text MISS LONDON14 to 63333 (http://www.missengland.info/regionals/london)
Thanks xxx
And more importantly, the cakes went down a storm (definitely fed some hungry readers!) and I raised £22 for charities. Okay, not groundbreaking sums, but every little helps and in terms of getting integrated into my community - well couldn't have gone better! And the staff at Brixton library couldn't have been more helpful and more lovely.
This all just works towards helping these amazing charities and builds a platform to work on - with my charity walk this Saturday! You can sponsor me here: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/JessicaMoffattOwen
Don't forget to like my photo on Facebook (here: https://www.facebook.com/missenglandnews/photos/a.10153149594842383.1073742046.261128227382/10153149610212383/?&theater)
And you can also text vote, simply text MISS LONDON14 to 63333 (http://www.missengland.info/regionals/london)
Thanks xxx
VOTING IS OPEN!
Wow! It's been a busy old week this week, loads going on with so much more to come!
Voting has opened for the semi-finals now, and it's all systems go. I'm doing really well on the Facebook vote so far which is really encouraging. It would be absolutely fantastic is anyone who thinks me a worthy contender could click 'like' on my picture here:
https://www.facebook.com/missenglandnews/photos/a.10153149594842383.1073742046.261128227382/10153149610212383/?&theater
You can also text vote, simply text MISS LONDON14 to 63333 (http://www.missengland.info/regionals/london)
All just takes a minute, but will make all the difference through the competition!
I would just like to take moment to say thanks to everyone for all your support so far, and hopefully I will go from strength to strength.
Now to plan for the charity bake sale on Saturday, and get training for my walk the following Saturday - you can sponsor me here: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/JessicaMoffattOwen
Lots of lovin'!
Voting has opened for the semi-finals now, and it's all systems go. I'm doing really well on the Facebook vote so far which is really encouraging. It would be absolutely fantastic is anyone who thinks me a worthy contender could click 'like' on my picture here:
https://www.facebook.com/missenglandnews/photos/a.10153149594842383.1073742046.261128227382/10153149610212383/?&theater
You can also text vote, simply text MISS LONDON14 to 63333 (http://www.missengland.info/regionals/london)
All just takes a minute, but will make all the difference through the competition!
I would just like to take moment to say thanks to everyone for all your support so far, and hopefully I will go from strength to strength.
Now to plan for the charity bake sale on Saturday, and get training for my walk the following Saturday - you can sponsor me here: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/JessicaMoffattOwen
Lots of lovin'!
Charity bake sale!
For those of you who read the other pages of my blog - you'll know I'm a huge baking fan. Mary Berry is my idol. So, what better way to raise some money for the fantastic charities supported by Miss London (St. Christopher's Hospice and Beauty With a Purpose) than baking? Luckily for me, the lovely lot at Brixton library have agreed to lend me their foyer, so if you're in the Brixton area on the 11th April, pop on in for some delicious treats! Millionaire shortbread, carrot cake, cupcakes and cookies - you name it, I'll bake it!
ROAR! Miss King-geniality
I'm only here in London today because I spent three fantastic years at King's College London getting my BA in English Language and Literature. During my time at KCL, I met some of my best friends and read more books than some people read in their entire life! I also spent some time as the Arts Editor of my university paper, ROAR!. I'm honoured that this same paper ran a really lovely piece on how I'm competing in Miss London:
It's still massively surreal to see my face printed on paper, but the support means the world - thank you ROAR! Hopefully this will also raise awareness for the charity walk I am doing on the 18th April: from Brixton to Primrose Hill, passing by King's on the way of course! You can sponsor me here: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/JessicaMoffattOwen
BBC: Muslim Beauty Pageant and Me
Good evening to you all! I just wanted to take a couple of minutes to talk about a documentary I have just finished watching on BBC iPlayer, which offered a fantastic insight into a different kind of pageant to Miss London. The synopsis is as follows:
"Dina Torkia has a huge following for her vlog about Muslim fashion and now she is heading to Indonesia for the finals of an international Muslim beauty pageant, World Muslimah. But Dina soon discovers it isn't just a pageant - it's a two-week boot camp where contestants have to prove their credentials as a good Muslim role model. It's a testing and often hilarious journey which pushes Dina to the limit."
I found I could parallel with certain aspects of this documentary. When I entered Miss London, I didn't really have much of an idea as to what it would entail. I didn't know what amazing amounts of money are raised for charity, I didn't know how many aspects, rounds, and learning curves I would partake in. I didn't realise how many experiences I would gain, how much I would build an affinity with my Brixtonian community. I also didn't realise how tough it would be at times. I didn't realise how challenging it would be to secure a sponsor, to think of innovative fundraising activities, to gain press coverage - whilst holding a full time job and having a life. This is not a walk in the park!
And I think this comes across really well in this documentary - there were many challenges and obstacles which Dina had to overcome on her route to the grand final - from charitable acts to photoshoots.
For me though, the most interesting aspect of this documentary was the real insight it gave into the global culture of Islam, and also the role of women therein, as well as Indonesian culture in general - something I have never really actively sought out in the media or news before.
If you're interested in the life behind the catwalk, in the people that are the pageant, and want to go on a cultural journey, I heartily recommend you watch it here.
"Dina Torkia has a huge following for her vlog about Muslim fashion and now she is heading to Indonesia for the finals of an international Muslim beauty pageant, World Muslimah. But Dina soon discovers it isn't just a pageant - it's a two-week boot camp where contestants have to prove their credentials as a good Muslim role model. It's a testing and often hilarious journey which pushes Dina to the limit."
I found I could parallel with certain aspects of this documentary. When I entered Miss London, I didn't really have much of an idea as to what it would entail. I didn't know what amazing amounts of money are raised for charity, I didn't know how many aspects, rounds, and learning curves I would partake in. I didn't realise how many experiences I would gain, how much I would build an affinity with my Brixtonian community. I also didn't realise how tough it would be at times. I didn't realise how challenging it would be to secure a sponsor, to think of innovative fundraising activities, to gain press coverage - whilst holding a full time job and having a life. This is not a walk in the park!
And I think this comes across really well in this documentary - there were many challenges and obstacles which Dina had to overcome on her route to the grand final - from charitable acts to photoshoots.
For me though, the most interesting aspect of this documentary was the real insight it gave into the global culture of Islam, and also the role of women therein, as well as Indonesian culture in general - something I have never really actively sought out in the media or news before.
If you're interested in the life behind the catwalk, in the people that are the pageant, and want to go on a cultural journey, I heartily recommend you watch it here.
Fundraising: WALKING THE LENGTH OF LONDON!
Hello, hello, hello!
With exciting news of the semi-final date being confirmed at Tuesday 21st April, I have got my act together to raise some funds for the brilliant charities supported by Miss London:
Beauty With a Purpose: www.beautywithapurpose.com/
St Christopher's Hospice: www.stchristophers.org.uk/
I will be walking the entire length of London, from Brixton to Primrose Hill on Saturday 18th April. And according to Google Maps, this will take 5.5 hours, and is the grand total distance of 15.6 miles. This is not a straightforward A to B: I will be going via every key London landmark to celebrate this fantastic city which is where I have spent my last four years. And, of course, live tweeting and instagramming along the way!
My House in Brixton
Borough Market (1 hour 12 mins, 3.5 miles)
The Globe (8 mins, 0.4 miles)
The Shard (12 mins, 0.6 miles)
Tower of London (17 mins, 0.8 miles)
St Pauls (23 mins, 1 mile)
Somerset House/King's College London (19 mins, 0.9 miles)
Trafalgar Square (10 mins, 0.5 miles)
London Eye (12 mins, 0.6 miles)
Big Ben (8 mins, 0.4 miles)
Buckingham Palace (15 mins, 0.7 miles)
Wellington Arch – Hyde Park corner (9 mins, 0.4 miles)
Harrods (13 mins, 0.6 miles)
Natural History Museum (13 mins, 0.7 miles)
Royal Albert Hall (8 mins, 0.4 miles)
Camden Lock (1 hour 19 mins, 3.9 miles)
Primrose Hill (13 mins, 0.6 miles)
You can donate here: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/JessicaMoffattOwen
Any little bit helps - whether it is the cost of your morning coffee, the change in your pocket, whatever you can spare.
With exciting news of the semi-final date being confirmed at Tuesday 21st April, I have got my act together to raise some funds for the brilliant charities supported by Miss London:
Beauty With a Purpose: www.beautywithapurpose.com/
St Christopher's Hospice: www.stchristophers.org.uk/
I will be walking the entire length of London, from Brixton to Primrose Hill on Saturday 18th April. And according to Google Maps, this will take 5.5 hours, and is the grand total distance of 15.6 miles. This is not a straightforward A to B: I will be going via every key London landmark to celebrate this fantastic city which is where I have spent my last four years. And, of course, live tweeting and instagramming along the way!
My House in Brixton
Borough Market (1 hour 12 mins, 3.5 miles)
The Globe (8 mins, 0.4 miles)
The Shard (12 mins, 0.6 miles)
Tower of London (17 mins, 0.8 miles)
St Pauls (23 mins, 1 mile)
Somerset House/King's College London (19 mins, 0.9 miles)
Trafalgar Square (10 mins, 0.5 miles)
London Eye (12 mins, 0.6 miles)
Big Ben (8 mins, 0.4 miles)
Buckingham Palace (15 mins, 0.7 miles)
Wellington Arch – Hyde Park corner (9 mins, 0.4 miles)
Harrods (13 mins, 0.6 miles)
Natural History Museum (13 mins, 0.7 miles)
Royal Albert Hall (8 mins, 0.4 miles)
Camden Lock (1 hour 19 mins, 3.9 miles)
Primrose Hill (13 mins, 0.6 miles)
You can donate here: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/JessicaMoffattOwen
Any little bit helps - whether it is the cost of your morning coffee, the change in your pocket, whatever you can spare.
Photo shoot!
Local support in Brixton has so far been great - when approaching for sponsors I had an overwhelming and very humbling amount of support. One such example of support was from the glorious Francois at Simulacra Studios, which is just a fine minute walk from my flat. Francois offered to do a photo shoot with me to aid me along my Miss London journey, and today I have seen the finished results. The shoot itself was the first time I have ever done anything like this - I normally am that kid in the corner with too much gum on show, pulling a stupid face. Or having my static photo smile on, so I'm not caught unawares. It was surreal being so self aware of how your body and face are in front of the camera. Let's just say that despite having a very encouraging photographer, there were quite a few shots with my eyes closed! All in all though, the experience was a good one - it challenges your preconceptions about yourself. And I have to say the results are more than anything I could have ever worked for! See the results below.
Thank you so much Francois! I am absolutely over the moon and will definitely be using these in the near future!
Thank you so much Francois! I am absolutely over the moon and will definitely be using these in the near future!
International Women's Day
YAY FOR WOMEN. Today is International Women's Day and an opportunity for us females to stick it to the man and shout from the rooftops, yeah, we did good! Because, unfortunately, even in this modern day, it is still a challenge being a woman in society, although it shouldn't be so in the year 2015. There is still a glass ceiling to break through in the workplace, still some unfortunate minded individuals who don't believe women are as capable as men, still a distinct lack of a female presence in some industries... Bonkers, but true - women are not regarded by some (STILL!!!) as equals in contemporary society.
I think an example of this is encapsulated by the RECLAIM THE NIGHT walk that I went on, raising awareness of the fact that women cannot currently walk city streets safely at night, without the fear of being attacked. "Whatever you wear, wherever you go, YES means YES and NO means NO" was being chanted over and over, advocating for the right for women to be able to just be what they want, who they want, where they want. There should be no targeting of women, just because their skirt is above the knee or - quelle horreur - you can see a bit of cleavage. Women have breasts, get over it.
I think an example of this is encapsulated by the RECLAIM THE NIGHT walk that I went on, raising awareness of the fact that women cannot currently walk city streets safely at night, without the fear of being attacked. "Whatever you wear, wherever you go, YES means YES and NO means NO" was being chanted over and over, advocating for the right for women to be able to just be what they want, who they want, where they want. There should be no targeting of women, just because their skirt is above the knee or - quelle horreur - you can see a bit of cleavage. Women have breasts, get over it.
Women CAN do anything they set their mind to. Look at Rosa Parks - defying racism. Marie Curie - forward thinking scientist. Jane Austen - writer of some of the best fiction to date. Emmeline Pankhurst - leader of women's suffrage. Caroline Lucas - first Green Party MP with a seat. Throughout history, women have achieved remarkable feats, so I find it bamboozling as to why some people still think that just because you might have long blonde hair and breasts, you're not capable as someone with a penis and a short back and sides.
This is one reason why I entered Miss London. It isn't fair that just because you might have a pretty face that people assume you can't hold a conversation or you can't voice an opinion. As an independent woman, with my own career, my own financial security and my own degree - I would say that's a load of rubbish. And you know what - I'm sure this is the case for many of the entrants in this competition. Miss London, and Miss England, both do an astonishing amount of fundraising for charity, and raising awareness for their chosen charities - especially the eye-opening and extremely commendable work undertaken by Beauty With A Purpose.
Time to smash that glass ceiling and to show the men of this world that women HAVE helped shape our society, we ARE capable and we CAN do incredible things.
This is one reason why I entered Miss London. It isn't fair that just because you might have a pretty face that people assume you can't hold a conversation or you can't voice an opinion. As an independent woman, with my own career, my own financial security and my own degree - I would say that's a load of rubbish. And you know what - I'm sure this is the case for many of the entrants in this competition. Miss London, and Miss England, both do an astonishing amount of fundraising for charity, and raising awareness for their chosen charities - especially the eye-opening and extremely commendable work undertaken by Beauty With A Purpose.
Time to smash that glass ceiling and to show the men of this world that women HAVE helped shape our society, we ARE capable and we CAN do incredible things.
SPONSORSHIP
One of the biggest parts of being a semi-finalist (and something which has been giving me sleepless nights and many a cold sweat of panic) is to secure a sponsor. Your sponsor is there to, well sponsor you. Initially this is financial support but it is so much more than that. It is about having a company champion you, spreading the word, and cheering you on at the final. Basically, your sponsor is key.
When I was on the hunt for a sponsor, the only thing that I really knew I wanted was LOCAL. I entered the competition (on one level at least) to engage in a sense of London community, something which it can be hard to do in such a vast capital. Having moved to Brixton in the last six months, for me it was of the utmost importance to secure a Brixtonian business as a sponsor. And I have achieved just this! The lovely Latanya Christie of Negril in Brixton has agreed to be my sponsor and I couldn't be more chuffed.
I can't wait to garner some local support, and I already have some exciting plans in mind for my fundraising, which can now begin in earnest! Part of the pageant is that you can't begin fundraising until you have a sponsor, so now Latanya is on board, I can start making some serious bucks for St Christopher's Hospice and, of course, Beauty With A Purpose - the charities of choice for Miss London.
If you would be interested in helping me with a charity fundraising event, or want to know more about the competition, please do drop me an email - [email protected]
Jessica x
When I was on the hunt for a sponsor, the only thing that I really knew I wanted was LOCAL. I entered the competition (on one level at least) to engage in a sense of London community, something which it can be hard to do in such a vast capital. Having moved to Brixton in the last six months, for me it was of the utmost importance to secure a Brixtonian business as a sponsor. And I have achieved just this! The lovely Latanya Christie of Negril in Brixton has agreed to be my sponsor and I couldn't be more chuffed.
I can't wait to garner some local support, and I already have some exciting plans in mind for my fundraising, which can now begin in earnest! Part of the pageant is that you can't begin fundraising until you have a sponsor, so now Latanya is on board, I can start making some serious bucks for St Christopher's Hospice and, of course, Beauty With A Purpose - the charities of choice for Miss London.
If you would be interested in helping me with a charity fundraising event, or want to know more about the competition, please do drop me an email - [email protected]
Jessica x
I'M A MISS LONDON SEMI-FINALIST!
WHAAAAAT?
I entered Miss London on an absolute whim - not expecting to go far at all. I wasn't even expecting to hear anything back if I'm quite honest. When I got the email inviting me to the quarter-final auditions, I was really apprehensive. And I still thought this was something outer-body, as if it wasn't really happening to me, but another 'me' was going along in my place. I met Fay - a really wonderful woman, and we had a chat about why I was entering.
WHY AM I ENTERING?
Well, some of you may know this, but I am really, really tall - 6 foot 1 to be precise, and everyone always says - oh you should be a model, oh you're so lovely and tall. But you know what, it's a pain being this tall, and when you're so much taller than everyone else you do get very self-conscious about it: it's impossible not to. I have always been so self-conscious of my height that I thought if I did what everyone told me to do - model (well, to some extent) - maybe it would be some kind of validation for my height, and I will learnt to embrace it more.
After a few photos were taken, I left the audition thinking no more of it.
Until this email popped up in my inbox! Crazy!!
The hunt is now on for my sponsor (although I had a very promising email this morning - fingers crossed!). I have secured a fab local venue to do some fundraising, and am so excited to start raising money for such worthy causes: Beauty With A Purpose and St Christopher's Hospice. The search for a sponsor has made me determined to put Brixton on the map in Miss London, and I have found a deep affiliation with the local community. I want to bring the crown home for Brixtonians! Especially after all the really lovely words of encouragement and well wishes I have had so far:
I entered Miss London on an absolute whim - not expecting to go far at all. I wasn't even expecting to hear anything back if I'm quite honest. When I got the email inviting me to the quarter-final auditions, I was really apprehensive. And I still thought this was something outer-body, as if it wasn't really happening to me, but another 'me' was going along in my place. I met Fay - a really wonderful woman, and we had a chat about why I was entering.
WHY AM I ENTERING?
Well, some of you may know this, but I am really, really tall - 6 foot 1 to be precise, and everyone always says - oh you should be a model, oh you're so lovely and tall. But you know what, it's a pain being this tall, and when you're so much taller than everyone else you do get very self-conscious about it: it's impossible not to. I have always been so self-conscious of my height that I thought if I did what everyone told me to do - model (well, to some extent) - maybe it would be some kind of validation for my height, and I will learnt to embrace it more.
After a few photos were taken, I left the audition thinking no more of it.
Until this email popped up in my inbox! Crazy!!
The hunt is now on for my sponsor (although I had a very promising email this morning - fingers crossed!). I have secured a fab local venue to do some fundraising, and am so excited to start raising money for such worthy causes: Beauty With A Purpose and St Christopher's Hospice. The search for a sponsor has made me determined to put Brixton on the map in Miss London, and I have found a deep affiliation with the local community. I want to bring the crown home for Brixtonians! Especially after all the really lovely words of encouragement and well wishes I have had so far:
Brixton support has been so heart-warming and encouraging, I'm doing it for you guys! Fingers crossed I have now secured a sponsor though - will keep it under wraps until all is confirmed!
Next step - FUNDRAISING!
Keep tuned for all Miss London updates here.
Lots of love,
Jessica x
Next step - FUNDRAISING!
Keep tuned for all Miss London updates here.
Lots of love,
Jessica x