A finalist in the 2021 Miss Manchester competition states “I truly believe it represents women supporting women”
Gabrielle Morris, 20, Openshaw, gives interview on raising money for women through charity work and how the pandemic has affected her time throughout the competition.
The Miss Manchester competition gives the contestants entering the chance to become part of one of the world’s biggest beauty pageants ‘MISS WORLD’, helping raise money for charities and possibly winning the end prize of $100,000.
Gabrielle Morris entered the competition in March 2020 to step out of her comfort zone and focus on something completely new that was empowering.
With the on-going Coronavirus pandemic this has forced the contest to run in a completely different way.
Originally, the show is supposed to last around three months, because of the pandemic and national lockdowns the finalist have been participating for over a year.
“Because of Covid the competition was delayed a whole year rather than being for only three months, the final is now also taking place in an outdoor event instead of inside, but besides all of this it has given me more time to enjoy the experience — I can’t complain”
The outdoor, drive-in final is something completely new to the Miss Manchester competition and will be exciting for those taking part.
Morris explained how her charity ‘One Woman at a Time’ focuses on helping women and children around the world who are experiencing forced marriage, FGM and domestic abuse.
“ I hold this charity dear to my heart as i have been able to help young girls and women who are living thousands of miles away from me, i truly believe it represents women supporting women”.
The Miss Manchester competition is centred around charity work that directly supports and helps women who need it.
As well as the charity ‘One Woman at a Time’, the Miss Manchester contest also raise money for the charity ‘Elle for Elle’.
Elle for Elle is a charity that collects and donates toiletries for women and children refuges that have often escaped from domestic abuse and have no basic hygiene products. Over 2 years since they launched, they have helped donate over 200k products to vulnerable women and children.
“The most exciting part for me is still yet to come, the final is next Sunday, and it is going to be amazing to celebrate a whole year of hard work”
Since starting the Miss Manchester competition in 2020, Morris has raised over £600 for the charity One Woman at a Time, passing her target of £600.
“I would tell anyone who is considering going into the competition next year to go for it, do not second guess yourself, do not take yourself too seriously and just enjoy the process and the opportunities the competition will bring you”.
The Miss Manchester winner 2019, Suzy Bamgbose, used her title and time as the winner to give back to the community focusing on the issue of homelessness in Manchester, Bamgbose will hand over her crown to the next winner of Miss Manchester 2020 at the final when the winner is announced.
The Miss Manchester contest is an opportunity for local girls to get involved in charity work, prove they can put the work in and give back to other women around the world.
This map shows the areas that are available to drop essential toiletries off for Elle for Elle, products will go directly to vulnerable women and children.
