‘UNSUNG HEROES’ WANTED FOR MISS MANCHESTER
HUNT IS ON FOR NEXT MISS MANCHESTER – AND ORGANISER IS LOOKING FOR ‘UNSUNG HERO’
THIS year marks the 15th anniversary of Miss Manchester, an event aimed at celebrating the women of our city.
While the annual pageant delivers the expected glitz and glamour, the contest is also on a mission to find ‘unsung heroes’ from all walks of life, explains organiser Cheryl Broadfoot.
The search is now on to find Miss Manchester 2019, and Cheryl says she’s aiming to crown the right role model to act as a shining example for Manchester on the world stage.
“It’s about finding the girl who is passionate about Manchester and wants to bring awareness in her chosen field and be an ambassador for the city,” she explained.
“All the girls are unsung heroes in their own right.”
This year the mother-of-three has already received applications from a policewoman, someone studying for a Masters degree in biomedicine, another with Tourette syndrome and an applicant who is 5ft 1in and wants to represent petite ladies.
“Like others I also had an opinion on beauty pageants,” said Cheryl. “Some people think it’s a bit of fluff but I have completely changed my mind.
“In 2010, Miss England winner Katrina Hodge got rid of the swimwear round in that pageant and replaced it with a sports challenge.
“Miss Manchester is relevant today because these women are our future. It celebrates women making strides in the world.
“Manchester is full of funny, brilliant women and they don’t just have to be pretty and clever.
“We didn’t create Emmeline Pankhurst for nothing.”
Cheryl, who is working with a team of former Miss Manchester winners, ex-contestants and modelling scouts, added: “I want to find a girl packing bags in Tesco and working in an old people’s home, someone who talks to everyone and hears what people have to say.”
Miss Manchester will go on to represent the city in Miss England, with the opportunity to compete in Miss World in Thailand.
Applications are now open online to girls aged 16 and a half to 26, who should be single and without children.
“If they win and go even further in the competition they could be away from home for a year with their title commitments,” said Cheryl, who takes up the role of managing director this year from Angela de Fouw, who organised the event for 14 years. “That would mean being away from their kids for a year, which is not something that we could ethically ask. “Also it’s a ‘Miss’ not ‘Ms’ or ‘Mrs’ though there are competitions that are open to those categories.” Medical student and model Fatime Gashi, 22, from Salford, was crowned Miss Manchester 2018. Fatime and her family fled war-torn Kosovo in 1999 as refugees to start a new life here – and winning Miss Manchester came as a shock after she was persuaded to take part at the last minute after another finalist pulled out. Liverpoolborn Cheryl, 49, has called Manchester home for 33 years and was previously choreographer on the event, after working with 90s pop icons including Steps, Cleopatra and B*Witched. Miss Manchester, which supports the Beauty with a Purpose programme which raises money for disadvantaged children across the world, will also raise funds for the homeless in the city. To apply or to find out more about the event, visit missmanchesterofficial.co.uk.
We didn’t create Emmeline Pankhurst for nothing Cheryl Broadfoot