Excitement is building for the Miss England finals next week as five winners from our region bid to take home the crown.
In May, the Miss Manchester and North West finals were held with a glittering ceremony at The Sheridan in Manchester.
For this year Miss Manchester received so many applications it was expanded to Miss Manchester, Miss Tameside, Miss Cheshire, Miss Lancashire and Miss North West Charity.
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Esme Holliday was declared Miss Manchester and it was a poignant moment for the 21-year-old from Salford after she competed in memory of her friend Skye Mitchell, who tragically died in a car crash in Cumbria in 2017.
Skye had competed in pageants and was crowned Junior Miss North West.
"Skye always said that we should do one together," explained Esme on entering the contest.
"We never got the chance to."
Esme was sponsored by A Skye Full Of Stars, which was set up in Skye's memory to support young people to better themselves through education, work or any other means.
Also heading to Miss England on Friday August 27, taking place at the Heart of England Conference Centre in Coventry, are Miss Tameside Alexandra Taylor, 24, from Ashton-under-Lyne, Miss Cheshire Heather Gaulton, 26, from Sale, Miss Lancashire Jessica Gagen, also 26, from Skemersdale, and Miss North West Charity Eleanor Farr, 26, from Cheshire.
While delivering the expected glitz and glamour, the contest also identifies the 'unsung everyday heroes' from all walks of life to inspire and act as shining example on the world stage.
Both Alexandra and Eleanor have fought back after being diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis.
Alexandra, a former pupil at Hartstead High, Stamford High and New Charter Academy, is aiming to raise awareness of the condition which she was diagnosed with at the age of 14.
She realised something was wrong when one morning she woke up and couldn't walk, and now wants to break down misconceptions that the disorder is only found in older people.
Eleanor needed a hip replacement at 22 after being diagnosed with a severe form of the autoimmune disease, which causes joint inflammation and pain, when she was 19.
A few years ago she couldn’t even walk and she was bed-bound through pain.
"I missed out on so much as a teenager and young adult and now that my disease is currently in remission, I have got so much catching up to do to reclaim my life," she said about entering the pageant.
Fashion model Jessica, who was taunted while growing up over her hair colour and having different interests to other girls at school, wants to act as a mentor for young girls going through similar experiences.
And, as a woman with red hair has never won Miss England, Heather is keen to prove that being a red-head is beautiful
On Saturday the girls prepared for the finals by shopping for their dresses at Pastiche Couture in the Arndale centre.
The finalists worked hard during the pandemic to help the charities One Woman at a Time and Elle for Elle UK, raising over £42,000.
Alexandra, Heather and Jess have already taken the top three places in the Explore the Nation round, which sees each girl promote her area and present the local highlights and tourist attractions of the area.
After winning the round Jess is now fast-tracked to the top 20 of Miss England.
Miss Manchester organiser Cheryl Broadfoot said: "All the girls have been placing high in the different rounds and we are hoping that all five will make the top 20 of the finals.
"This will be the first time that the region has been so heavily represented in the Miss England finals."
Beverley Isherwood was the last Miss England winner from Manchester in 1978.
The winner of Miss England 2021 will go on to compete in the 70th Miss World final in Puerto Rico.
Mr Manchester Lewis Ellis, 28, from Rochdale, will compete for Mr England on the same day.
The winner will go through to Mr Global in Thailand.
Lewis, who starred in the 2019 series of Lord Alan Sugar's business reality show The Apprentice, has already beaten off competition to make it to the final three.
