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Edinburgh Live
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Live
Two Edinburgh pageant contestants aim to bring double Great Britain crown to capital
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Two Edinburgh beauty pageant contestants will compete to be crowned the winners of Miss Great Britain and Ms Great Britain in Leicester later this year, Jennifer Winter came out on top when she saw off dozens of other finalists to claim the coveted Miss Great Britain Edinburgh title during a glitzy ceremony at Prestonfield in early June 2025. The 27-year-old brunette, who is originally from Lanarkshire but works in the capital, now has her eyes on one of the UK's most coveted pageant crowns when the Miss Great Britain national final takes place in October 2025, the Record reports. Jennifer, who came second in last year's competition, said: 'This is a total dream come true for me. 'Never did I think I'd be heading to the Miss Great Britain stage, especially after only entering my first pageant last year, but I've absolutely fallen in love with the experience and everything the system stands for. Join Edinburgh Live's Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sentstraight to your messages. 'Last year, I came runner-up to Ava Morgan, who went on to be crowned Miss Great Britain 2024. It was such an inspiring moment and lit a fire in me to come back stronger and with a real sense of purpose. 'Now, to have won the Miss GB Edinburgh title myself and be following in Ava's footsteps is incredibly special.' Eighteen women competed in the Miss and Ms divisions of the competition, with contestants raising over £10,000 for Cancer Research UK and A-Sisterhood, an organisation that supports women's charities worldwide. (Image: Brian Hayes.) The winner in the Ms version of the competition, for women aged 28 to 39, was Samantha Masuku, who travelled from Zimbabwe to the UK as a refugee when she was just seven years old. She became the first black woman to hold the title of Ms Great Britain Edinburgh. 'After surviving a childhood marked by war, abuse, and homelessness, I've spent the past decade rebuilding my life in Scotland, raising my son alone while working my way up to a regional finance manager role,' said Samantha. 'Now, through this platform, I'm pursuing my true calling by creating opportunities, safety and empowerment for minority children and women who deserve the chance to thrive.' (Image: Brian Hayes.) Both Jennifer and Samantha hope to use their platforms to continue to raise funds and awareness for the causes close to each of them. Jennifer added: 'Pageants have given me something positive to focus on during the hardest year of my life. 'But through the hardship, I have chosen to reclaim my voice and turn pain into purpose through my platform, Walk Through It. 'My mission now is to empower women to keep moving forward, even if it's just one small step at a time.' (Image: Brian Hayes.) Kay Morgan, director of Miss and Ms Great Britain Edinburgh, said: 'Jennifer and Samantha are shining examples of what modern pageantry is all about: strength, authenticity and purpose. 'They each bring such powerful personal stories and are using their platforms to uplift others and create meaningful change not just here in Edinburgh, but across the country. Sign up for Edinburgh Live newsletters for more headlines straight to your inbox 'We're incredibly proud to support them and can't wait to see what they achieve on the national stage.' To find out more about Miss and Ms Great Britain Edinburgh, follow them on Instagram or email: missgbedinburgh@ The Miss Great Britain grand finals take place Friday, October 17, and will see three winners crowned – Miss Great Britain, Ms Great Britain, and Ms Great Britain Classic. To find out more, visit:
Daily Record
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Miss Great Britain Glasgow finalist raises dementia awareness after gran's shock diagnosis
Jenna Kinnaird has been named a finalist in the glitzy ceremony which will take place in Larkhall's Radstone Hotel on June 20. A big-hearted accounts assistant from Hamilton is raising awareness of a cause close to her heart as she sets her sights on the Miss Great Britain Glasgow crown next week. Jenna Kinnaird, who volunteers for Kilbryde Hospice, has been named a finalist in the glitzy ceremony which will take place in Larkhall's Radstone Hotel on June 20. The stunning 20-year-old brunette will compete against dozens of other beauties for the coveted title for the chance to win a place in the Miss Great Britain national final in October. And while the former St John Ogilvie High School pupil says it would be a "dream" to win the contest, Jenna, who is competing for the second year in a row, is most proud to be raising awareness and funds for Dementia UK following her gran's shock diagnosis. Download the Lanarkshire Live app today She told Lanarkshire Live:"My gran was 71 when she diagnosed with dementia at Christmas last year. She had been working as a home carer for people with memory loss right up to when she was diagnosed. It was very fast moving as she was working at the start of the week, and by the end of the week she could no longer live alone. "It completely turned our lives upside down when her memory deteriorated. I knew I had to look into how the dementia affected my gran's capability to live alone and wanted to educate others on the whole process that comes with it and how it not only affects the older generation, but young people too. "My family and I never thought dementia would be something that we would have to deal with so soon. I knew I had to use my platform to let people know there is help out there." As well as taking part in a charity run for Hamilton Judo Club, Jenna was determined to raise funds for Dementia UK after her gran's sudden illness. Last month she held a quiz night at Giovanni's Italian Kitchen restaurant in her hometown which raised over £600. Shy and introverted as a child, Jenna says pageanting has given her the confidence to shine on stage and she can't wait to show the judges all the good work she has been doing for her local community in the lead up to the final. Jenna will compete in four rounds on pageant day in the hope of being crowned Miss Great Britain Glasgow: interview, swimwear, fashion and eveningwear. Jenna added: "I was always really shy and anxious as a child. In school I was quite quiet, very introverted. "I've always been more confident on social media and was approached by Miss Great Britain Glasgow via Instagram. I just went for it and it definitely built my confidence so much that I decided to do it again this year. "I'm so excited to take part in the finals. I'm excited to show the judges all the work that I've put in this year, compared to last year. "I love my community and I love helping out so I want to show that I'm prepared to make that time for others. With all the things I've done and the people I've met, I already have a feeling of proudness. I'm getting to go up on that stage and show everything I've done which I feel really good about." She continued: "And raising money and awareness for a charity so close to my heart, it does already feel like I've won. It's everyone's dream to win, but I'd be so happy for any of the other girls to win as we've became such good friends, it's so nice to see. "My family are over the moon - they're my biggest supporters. And I don't drive so they're my taxi rides here, there and everywhere! My sister Hanna is autistic and really struggles with her confidence so she always tells me how much it means to her that I get up on the stage." *Don't miss the latest headlines from around Lanarkshire. Sign up to our newsletters here. And did you know Lanarkshire Live is on Facebook?
Daily Record
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Model from Motherwell comes out top in capital city's Miss Great Britain competition
Jennifer Winter works in Edinburgh and came second last year. An actress and model from Motherwell will represent Scotland's capital city at the Miss Great Britain competition in Leicester later this year. Jennifer Winter beat off the competition from dozens of other finalists to claim the coveted Miss Great Britain Edinburgh title during a glitzy ceremony at Prestonfield last week. The 27-year-old brunette, who works in the capital, now has her eyes on one of the UK's most coveted pageant crowns when the Miss Great Britain national final takes place in October. Jennifer, who came second in last year's competition, said: 'This is a total dream come true for me. 'Never did I think I'd be heading to the Miss Great Britain stage, especially after only entering my first pageant last year, but I've absolutely fallen in love with the experience and everything the system stands for. 'Last year, I came runner-up to Ava Morgan, who went on to be crowned Miss Great Britain 2024. It was such an inspiring moment and lit a fire in me to come back stronger and with a real sense of purpose. 'Now, to have won the Miss GB Edinburgh title myself and be following in Ava's footsteps is incredibly special.' Eighteen women competed in the Miss and Ms divisions of the competition, with contestants raising over £10,000 for Cancer Research UK and A-Sisterhood, an organisation that supports women's charities worldwide. The winner in the Ms version of the competition, for women aged 28 to 39, was Samantha Masuku, who travelled from Zimbabwe to the UK as a refugee when she was just seven years old. She became the first black woman to hold the title of Ms Great Britain Edinburgh. 'After surviving a childhood marked by war, abuse, and homelessness, I've spent the past decade rebuilding my life in Scotland, raising my son alone while working my way up to a regional finance manager role,' said Samantha. 'Now, through this platform, I'm pursuing my true calling by creating opportunities, safety and empowerment for minority children and women who deserve the chance to thrive.' Both Jennifer and Samantha hope to use their platforms to continue to raise funds and awareness for the causes close to each of them. Jennifer added: 'Pageants have given me something positive to focus on during the hardest year of my life. 'But through the hardship, I have chosen to reclaim my voice and turn pain into purpose through my platform, Walk Through It. 'My mission now is to empower women to keep moving forward, even if it's just one small step at a time.' Kay Morgan, director of Miss and Ms Great Britain Edinburgh, said: 'Jennifer and Samantha are shining examples of what modern pageantry is all about: strength, authenticity and purpose. 'They each bring such powerful personal stories and are using their platforms to uplift others and create meaningful change not just here in Edinburgh, but across the country. 'We're incredibly proud to support them and can't wait to see what they achieve on the national stage.' Established in 1945, Miss Great Britain has long been recognised as the UK's oldest pageant, with former winners including Capital FM presenter Amy Meisak and Scots model and dancer Deone Robertson from North Lanarkshire. To find out more about Miss and Ms Great Britain Edinburgh, follow them on Instagram or email: missgbedinburgh@ The Miss Great Britain grand finals take place Friday, October 17, and will see three winners crowned – Miss Great Britain, Ms Great Britain, and Ms Great Britain Classic. *Don't miss the latest headlines from around Lanarkshire. Sign up to our newsletters here. And did you know Lanarkshire Live had its own app? Download yours for free here.
Scotsman
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Edinburgh duo aim to bring home double national pageant crowns in historic first
Actress and model Jennifer Winter, and finance manager Samantha Masuku are aiming for a double win at the UK's longest-running beauty pageant, Miss Great Britain, in October – making them the first ever Scottish duo to do so. The brunette beauties beat dozens of other competitors to be crowned Miss and Ms Great Britain Edinburgh during a glittering ceremony at the glamourous Prestonfield House last week (Thursday, June, 5). Now, they are preparing to represent the city in the Miss and Ms categories on the national stage in Leicester in October, in the hopes of bringing both titles back to Edinburgh for the first time in the pageant's 80-year history. Jennifer, who came second in last year's competition, said: 'This is a total dream come true for me. 'Never did I think I'd be heading to the Miss Great Britain stage, especially after only entering my first pageant last year, but I've absolutely fallen in love with the experience and everything the system stands for. 'Last year, I came runner-up to Ava Morgan, who went on to be crowned Miss Great Britain 2024. It was such an inspiring moment and lit a fire in me to come back stronger and with a real sense of purpose. 'Now, to have won the Miss GB Edinburgh title myself and be following in Ava's footsteps is incredibly special, and to potentially make history by achieving a double win for Scotland in the same year would be the greatest honour.' Samantha added: 'It means so much to me to be the first Black woman to hold the title of Ms Great Britain Edinburgh. 'Representation matters and I want to inspire young women from all backgrounds to believe in themselves and chase their dreams. 'I hope to make history by becoming the first national Ms Great Britain winner from Edinburgh, while using this platform to celebrate diversity and empowerment.' Eighteen women competed in the Miss and Ms divisions of the competition, with contestants raising over £10,000 for Cancer Research UK and A-Sisterhood, an organisation that supports women's charities worldwide. Now, Jennifer and Samantha hope to use their platforms to continue to raise funds and awareness for the causes close to each of them. Samantha, who travelled from Zimbabwe to the UK as a refugee when she was just seven, said: 'After surviving a childhood marked by war, abuse, and homelessness, I've spent the past decade rebuilding my life in Scotland, raising my son alone while working my way up to a regional finance manager role. 'Now, through this platform, I'm pursuing my true calling by creating opportunities, safety and empowerment for minority children and women who deserve the chance to thrive.' Jennifer added: 'Pageants have given me something positive to focus on during the hardest year of my life. 'But through the hardship, I have chosen to reclaim my voice and turn pain into purpose through my platform, Walk Through It. 'My mission now is to empower women to keep moving forward, even if it's just one small step at a time.' Kay Morgan, Director of Miss and Ms Great Britain Edinburgh, said: 'Jennifer and Samantha are shining examples of what modern pageantry is all about: strength, authenticity and purpose. 'They each bring such powerful personal stories and are using their platforms to uplift others and create meaningful change not just here in Edinburgh, but across the country. 'We're incredibly proud to support them and can't wait to see what they achieve on the national stage.' Established in 1945, Miss Great Britain has long been recognised as the UK's oldest pageant, with former winners including Capital FM presenter Amy Meisak and Scots model and dancer Deone Robertson. Now in its second year, the Miss Great Britain Edinburgh organisation has enjoyed outstanding success at the national final, with last year's representative Ava Morgan crowned the overall winner against more than 60 delegates. Kay added: 'Last year, Ava Morgan made history by becoming the first ever Miss Great Britain Edinburgh to go on and win the national Miss Great Britain title, bringing the crown back to Scotland. 'Now, with Jennifer following directly in Ava's footsteps, there's a real chance we could see it happen again, and for the first time in the competition's 80-year history, we could see both the Miss and Ms Great Britain titles come from the same region. 'With two such inspiring, determined and capable women flying the flag for Edinburgh, I truly believe this could be a landmark year not just for Scotland, but for the entire Miss Great Britain organisation.' To find out more about Miss and Ms Great Britain Edinburgh, follow them on Instagram or email: [email protected] The Miss Great Britain grand finals take place Friday, October 17, and will crown three winners – Miss Great Britain, Ms Great Britain and Ms Great Britain Classic. 1 . Contributed Samantha Masuku has been crowned Ms Great Britain Edinburgh (credit - Brian Hayes) Photo: Submitted Photo Sales 2 . Contributed Jennifer Winter has been crowned Miss Great Britain Edinburgh (credit - Brian Hayes) Photo: Submitted Photo Sales 3 . Contributed Samantha and Jennifer with last year's regional winners, Mouveen Sharma (L) and Miss Great Britain, Ava Morgan (R) Photo: Submitted Photo Sales 4 . Contributed The finalists raised more than £10,000 for Cancer Research UK and A-Sisterhood (credit - Brian Hayes) Photo: Submitted Photo Sales Related topics: Edinburgh
Daily Record
10-06-2025
- Daily Record
Scots beauty queen who witnessed pals' abusive relationships fights to protect women
Grace McCabe, whose work for women's safety was recognised by the United Nations, will compete for the crown of Miss Great Britain Glasgow. A Scots beauty queen has pledged to use her pageant platform to help end gender-based violence after years of tireless campaigning that has seen her recognised by the United Nations. Grace McCabe, from Strathaven, is one of the finalists for Miss Great Britain Glasgow and will take to the stage at the Radstone Hotel in Larkhall on June 20. The 21-year-old, who competed in last year's Miss Scotland pageant, will battle contenders in a number of rounds, including ones in fashion wear, swimwear and evening wear. If successful, she'll compete at the 80th anniversary of the national Miss Great Britain finals on Friday October 17 at the Athena in Leicester. However, behind the pageantry, lies a determined criminal law graduate with the aim of making Scotland safer for women and girls. She told the Daily Record: "I went into pageantry in an unconventional way. Many people enter pageants and then think of what charity they are going to support. Whereas I have campaigning for the safety of women since I was 15 years old. "I've witnessed domestic violence first-hand and had close friends in abusive relationships. Women are being killed by their partners every single day. I couldn't sit back anymore. "I realised people in pageants were making a big impact by raising loads of money and awareness. I wanted to push myself and build my confidence but also make a bigger impact than I am just now. "I owe it to women to use this platform to fight for their safety. Whether I win or not, I'll never stop fighting. This is my life's mission." The Glasgow Caledonian University law graduate previously co-led the Own Our Zone campaign with Girlguiding Scotland, which called for safer public spaces and was backed in the Scottish Parliament with a motion of support. Grace continued: "When I became lead volunteer with Girlguiding Scotland, it was just after Sarah Everard had been murdered. We wanted to do something real to make streets safer through better lighting, safer toilets and planners taking women's needs seriously. The campaign launched and we got backing in the Scottish Parliament. It was incredible." The campaign also earned Grace a nomination as a Safe Spaces Now Champion by UN Women UK, where she was shortlisted in the top six out of over 300 nominees for actively working to combat sexual harassment in public spaces. "I was the youngest one there at 20 years old," she said. "I stood alongside women who had changed laws. It was surreal – especially when I think about being bullied at school for speaking out. "I had a strong sense of right and wrong from a young age, but being a girl, I was constantly shut down. Now, I've stuck to my guns and it's paid off because I am able to help other women." The pageant hopeful began supporting Women's Aid South Lanarkshire and East Renfrewshire after witnessing the horror of abuse and the tragic outcome that can come from it. In November, she raised over £1,000 and donated five carloads of makeup, toiletries and other essentials to help women escaping domestic abuse. She added: "Quite often with femicide, when male partners kill their female partners, that is the first time they have laid hands on them. However, there are usually warning signs. I knew I had to give back to a charity which supported women leaving these horrible situations. "The thing with domestic violence and rape there is never any justification for it. It is an epidemic that isn't talked about enough. I have had friends who have gone through it. That's the reason I do criminal law. "If I am fortunate enough to win, I hope that the increased platform and reach will mean I am able to share resources about prevention work to a wider audience. "I intend to inspire other girls to work on this issue because everyone has to be involved for us to end gender-based violence." Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
