A Renfrewshire mum-of-three went up against competitors from across Scotland, England and Wales in a bid to be crowned Ms Great Britain.
And while she was unsuccessful in taking home the tiara, she perhaps achieved something even more remarkable.
Bishopton beauty Sarah-Victoria Bayley certainly wanted to win – and, in a way, she has.
For she has spread her message of body-positivity and inclusivity across an industry full to bursting with unobtainable and unrealistic expectations of what women in fashion and the media industries should look like.
And this was something that was recognised at the Ms Great Britain finals where Sarah, 39, was honoured for the work she’d done to raise disability awareness.
At the awards night, held at the Athena Events Venue in Leicester, she was named Ms Great Britain Publicity 2022.
“I’m proud of how well I did,” said Sarah, who has been diagnosed with 38 different medical conditions and wanted to use her platform to enhance and improve the opportunities for disabled people in the media industry.
“I’ve had lots of emails and people coming up to me to say how I’ve inspired them or helped them which has been really touching as that was why I was competing.”
She was competing in the Ms category of the Miss Great Britain Awards, which is for women aged 28 to 44.
Sarah went up alongside 11 other contestants. There is also the Miss category for 18 to 27-year-olds and the Ms Classic for ladies aged 45 and over.
In Sarah’s category, Leeds-based photographer Charlotte Clemie, 35, was chosen as Ms Great Britain 2022 while 28-year-old property investor and entrepreneur Amy Meisak, from Glasgow, was crowned Miss Great Britain 2022.
Nicoll Moss, a 51-year-old hair and make-up artist from Kent, was crowned Ms Great Britain Classic 2022.
The winners were chosen by a judging panel of six people, including ex-winners of the competition, dress sellers, an author of a book on beauty pageants and the marketing executive of a prestigious Dubai hotel.
The show was run by newly-appointed national directors – former Miss Great Britain, Saffron Hart, and her partner Matt Elliott.
Saffron said: “This year saw a record number of applications and women wanting to compete in Miss Great Britain.
“As a pageant that proudly stands at the forefront of modern-day pageantry, we’re excited to continue to evolve and grow.
“Our contestants come from all different backgrounds and bring so much more to the competition than just how they look physically.
“They’re doctors, dentists, business owners, mothers, grandmothers and lawyers to name a few.
“They’re women competing to make a difference in their local communities, passion projects and to develop themselves as a person.”
Sarah admits she’ll take some time off to consider her future options and said: “I have been approached by a few other pageants, so I’m considering my next steps, but I will take time to decide on which is the right fit and it will depend upon securing sponsorship for my entry fee and outfits, etc as I’d really love to take my three children on a family holiday which, as a single mum, we haven’t done in seven years.
“So, that’s my main priority at the moment and to get quality time with them before my eldest goes to university and flies the nest.
“Finally, I would like to say thank you to my sponsor for Ms Great Britain, which was Picture Perfect Aesthetics in Glasgow.”
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