Meet Jess from Childwall who could bring the Miss Universe 2019 prize home

23 year-old Jessica Page from Childwall is in the running to represent Great Britain at the internationally renowned Miss Universe pageant.

Jess works full time as a Field Sales Executive on a graduate scheme for the FTSE 100 company, Just Eat, after graduating with a marketing degree from The University of Chester.  She will be one of around 40 women taking part in the 2019 Miss Universe Great Britain competition in South Wales in July.

Jess is a qualified open water scuba diver and is currently completing a personal training qualification with Milwood Training Academy in Speke. Jess said ‘In the lead up to the competition, I’ve been working my hardest to be the best version of myself. I’m training 5 times a week, so I thought why not take my love for fitness and become more educated in the industry.’

Jess works in a food related industry and wants to be an encourage people to have a healthy relationship with food as well as fitness. ‘I’m a huge advocate for self-love and I think it’s important in a world full pressures to look good, for women to have a healthy relationship with food and fitness. On my social media channels, I try to encourage physical activity where I can, but show that it’s still ok to grab that doughnut at the weekend!’ 

In the run up Jess will be tasked with a series of challenges and fundraising for A-Sisterhood– an organisation which supports the advancement of women worldwide. She is currently organising a Bollywood themed dinner party, a ladies who lunch afternoon tea, and also some physical challenges.

This year, monies from the fundraising will be donated to Llamau, a homeless charity in Wales which runs special projects to help homeless women; the National Centre for Female Genital Mutilation which aims to put an end to the practice by 2030; Stop Acid Attacks in India which helps survivors of acid violence; and The Black Mambas which is South Africa’s first all-female anti-poaching unit protecting the rhino. A donation will also be made by A-Sisterhood to a female cause chosen and supported by the 2019 titleholder.

The final (from 11-13 July) will include a Bring A Bra Ball organised for A-Sisterhood with finalists and their guests donating bras which will be sent to women in Africa in association with Smalls for All; an empowerment day lead by one of the UK’s foremost leadership coaches;  and a catwalk show before a panel of judges from the beauty and fashion industry. The event is sponsored by Cara Jewellers, Just Boutique and Doyen.

Jess said: “I am really excited to have been chosen as a finalist for Miss Universe Great Britain this year and will be doing all that I can in the next few months to prepare. Miss Universe is one of the biggest pageants in the world and I think it’s going to be a huge adventure as well as a lot of fun.”

The Miss Universe Great Britain operates a NOT IN VAIN campaign as part of the competition which acknowledges the efforts and calibre of finalists. Under this banner, four awards will be presented to finalists. They are an award for the finalist who raises the most for charity through the experience presented by A-Sisterhood; an award for the most inspiring finalist who shows dedication to empowering young women presented by the Miss Universe Great Britain national director; a Miss Universe Great Britain business bursary offering high-level business coaching by Elsby & Co Chartered Accountants in Northamptonshire to a finalist who is an accomplished or aspiring entrepreneur; and a HER Leadership Award, sponsored by EntreprenHER Productions, which will give a finalist the opportunity to develop and deliver her own workshop to a girls school in rural India.

As well as getting the opportunity to represent the UK for around three weeks at an exotic overseas location later this year at Miss Universe, the winner of Miss Universe Great Britain will also visit travel on humanitarian projects linked to A-Sisterhood.

National director of Miss Universe Great Britain, Paula Abbandonato, said: “Pageantry in the UK is more popular than ever before and we have the most amazing line-up of young women from England, Scotland and Wales vying for the crown this year. It’s going to be an excellent competition and I wish them all the very best of luck.”

Around 90 countries take part in the Miss Universe event. The dates and location for 2019 have yet to be announced.

The current Miss Universe Great Britain is 25-year-old Dee-Ann Kentish Rogers, a barrister and former Commonwealth Games athlete from Birmingham.  The current Miss Universe is Catriona Gray from The Philippines.