Rachel Barker reports.
Katie Stamps, 21, from Blakedown, Kidderminster won the coveted title of Miss Birmingham in the regional finals held at the Crescent Theatre, Birmingham last Sunday and will next month compete to become Miss England 2014.
Katie, an office manager with a construction firm, has always had an interest in fashion, but the Miss Birmingham pageant was her first taste of modelling in a catwalk She said “I found the Miss England website one evening and saw that the Miss Birmingham regional competition was accepting applications. The stories on the website about the opportunities that the ‘Miss’ competitions offer, and the lifelong friendships that are forged amongst the contestants really appealed to me, so I thought I would enter, never expecting to be accepted, let alone win Miss Birmingham and having the opportunity to compete for the Miss England title”.
Katie was one of twenty girls selected from over 150 applicants to participate in the Miss Birmingham final. Through sponsored events and helping out in local businesses, she raised over £350 for Variety, the children’s charity in order to participate in the event, which consisted of four catwalk rounds: sportswear, party wear, evening wear and eco dress, for which she designed and created her own dress. She adds, “The Miss Birmingham competition really made me see what I could achieve and although it was a nerve-wracking experience, it has boosted my confidence and has made me want to raise much more money for charity and work on an even more flamboyant eco dress for the Miss England final!”
The Miss England final will be held at the Imperial Hotel in Torquay, Devon on 14-16th June 2014. Tosupport Katie in her ongoing fundraising endeavours, visit her Facebook page at www.facebook.com/MissBirmingham2014