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Raising awareness of isolation is one way pageant girl Kerys Squire is hoping to stand our in this year’s Miss Teen Great Britain competition.
The 18-year-old, of Allenby Avenue, Deal, will be competing against more than 40 teenagers from around the country when she takes to the stage at the Globe Theatre in Blackpool on Tuesday, October 24.
In a bid to gain what she has described as the ultimate teen title, she has started a 100 days of isolation social media campaign.
Each day leading up to the contest, she is uploading different messages of support and advice to her Facebook and Instagram pages to help open people’s eyes to the issue of isolation.
The former Castle Community College pupil said: “Isolation is experienced by so many people - the elderly, children, the LGBT society and those with terminal illness.
“It can also affect people suffering bereavement, something which I’ve have personal experience of since my Grandma passed away in 2012.
“I want to use my position as Miss Teen GB Deal to raise as much awareness as possible.
“If I can just influence one person or remind one family to be there for each other, it will be worth it.”
Miss Squire, who has just completed a cabin-crew course at Dover College, says this is what she has been working towards since she started competing in pageants in 2014.
Her first title was Miss Teen Face of the Year. Having been selected as a finalist in the UK heat of Face of The Globe, she travelled to Disneyland Paris when she competed against about 200 others.
Her Miss Teen Face of the Year title involved travelling around the country, meeting celebrities and raising the profile of the contest. She met and was pictured with James Bond star Daniel Craig at the premiere of Spectre, cricket legend Andrew Flintoff and, only last week, with TOWIE star Sam Faiers.
The aspiring air stewardess then went on to be named Miss Teen Fresh Face in 2015.
In November 2016, she competed in Miss European, representing Ireland. She was placed as deputy Irish princess.
In March this year, she placed as third runner up in the UK Galaxy Pageant, which has led her to enter this contest.
She said: “To win would be my absolute dream.”
Not only will Miss Squire be judged in two rounds on stage, her public appearances and publicity but also on fundraising.
She is supporting the pageant’s chosen charity Together for Short Lives - a charity for children with life-threatening and life-limiting conditions.
On Saturday, she is taking part in a charity Zorb Ball event at Sandwich Leisure Centre.
To raise more cash, she will be holding a aerobathon fitness morning led by Karina Ivanova at Sandwich Leisure Centre on Saturday, September 23 from 10am. Entry is £5 and non-members can attend.
The teen is looking for sponsorship to help with travel costs and dress hire. She is also keen to work with any photographers or videographers in exchange for advertising on her social media profiles.
If you’d like to help Kerys, call her on 07860 777345.
Follow Kerys’ #100daysofisolation campaign by following ‘Kerys Georgia’ on Facebook or ‘kerys-georgiax’ on Instagram.