Beauty queen hits heights in Ben Nevis charity climb
Miss A BEAUTY contestant from Glasgow’s South Side swapped heels for hiking boots at the weekend as she walked up Ben Nevis for charity.
Miss Scotland finalist Chloe Bella Armstrong, 17, climbed Scotland’s highest peak to raise money for the Young Minds Trust, which funds Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS).
Having now collected more than £1,600 in donations, Chloe, of South Park Village, has her sights set on the Miss Scotland pageant later this month.
She said: “It was a difficult climb but we had great fun and managed to do it much quicker than we expected.
“I was with my uncle, two cousins and a couple of friends so I had plenty of people spurring me on.
“Young Minds have been so great and supportive of me.
“They sent us lots of stuff for the walk, balloons and T-shirts, and they even shared my fundraising page.
“We have had struggles with mental health issues in our family and CAMHS were very helpful so this is something that is close to my heart.
“I know just how much they can help, not just sufferers but the people around them too.”
A spokesperson for CAMHS said: “Positive news that helps to further remove the stigma around mental health issues is always welcome.
“Our CAMHS team have a long-standing, strong performance in supporting children and young people with severe mental health problems in community settings.”
Now though, Chloe Bella’s focus has shifted to Miss Scotland 2017.
The youngest of the finalists, the 6th year pupil at St Ninian’s High School, goes in to the competition on August 24 as a rookie, having never taken part in pageants before.
Along with the other 13 finalists, she will head to The Hilton Doubletree Glasgow for the right to represent Scotland at the 67th Miss World competition in Sanya, China in December, a prize that a Scot has never won.
Chloe Bella said: “My mum was the one who put me forward for it and I was a bit unsure at first. But I realised it was a good opportunity.
“I’m getting more scared as the date gets closer but I’ve gotten to know the other girls well, so that has been helping.
“We still have dance rehearsals, as well as the question and answer section of it to prepare for, so the next few weeks will be busy.
“Now though, I’m really glad I’ve gone through with it as it is helping me raise awareness for the charity.”