Miss Worcestershire 2017 Amber Cartlidge hoping to inspire others at national contest

Christian Barnett

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THIS year's Miss Worcestershire is hoping to show other girls that it is more than just looks.

Amber Cartlidge, 22, is hoping to inspire other girls by breaking the stereotypes usually associated with beauty pageant contestants.

She said: "Being involved in beauty pageants and modelling is something that I never thought would be possible for me, now as I have proved that it is, I want to use this to inspire other young girls.

"I hope that holding the title that I do, I can show others that anything is possible if you work hard enough for it.

"I just want to move away from the stereotypical image of somebody who takes part in a beauty pageant.

"I want to show that it is important that girls should not just rely on their looks and that education is especially important."

Having been crowned Miss Worcestershire 2017, Miss Cartlidge will now take part in Miss Great Britain in Leicester over Thursday 14 and Friday 15, September.

The event is particularly special for Miss Cartlidge because she was diagnosed with scoliosis aged 14 which means her spine twists and curves to the side.

"I wasn’t going to tell them that I had scoliosis when I entered but my mom told me that I should."

The diagnosis was a big blow to her confidence and only added to the pressure of secondary school.

"When I first found out I had it I didn’t really know what it meant or how it would affect me." she said.

"It was hard but I have always had plenty of support around me.

"I had very supportive parents and my friends always said they wouldn't have known unless I had told them.

"Now I normally just forget that I have it."

Miss Cartlidge attended Tenbury High School before moving to the University of Sheffield to study mathematics. She graduated with a first class

degree and is now starting a masters in mathematics at the University of Leeds.

She has just returned from Vietnam where she taught English to primary school aged children for five months having previously volunteered in Sri Lanka and Bali.

She also makes and sells children's aprons and headbands with all money made going to charity.

Miss Cartlidge will be braving a 120 foot abseil down Devil's Gorge, Loggerheads Country Park, Mold, Wales in aid of the pageant's chosen charities Global's Make Some Noise and LAMP, a Leicester based mental health charity.

To donate to Amber's charity abseil visit: uk.virginmoneygiving.com/AmberCartlidge

http://www.worcesternews.co.uk/news/regional/15431983.Miss_Worcestershire_2017_hoping_to_inspire_others_at_national_contest/