24-year-old Samantha Ball was born and raised in Bromley Common and now is in the running to represent Great Britain at the Miss Universe pageant.
Samantha is a Hospitality Team Leader at the London Eye who now lives in the city of London. She will be one of around 40 women taking part in the 2017 Miss Universe Great Britain competition in South Wales in July.
In the run up she will be tasked with a series of challenges and fundraising for Strongbones – a charity which helps children from all over the UK with diseases of the bone. The event will also support survivors of acid attacks in India by supporting the charity Stop Acid Attacks.
The final (from 13-15 July) will be a three-day event and includes an empowerment day lead by one of the UK’s foremost leadership coaches; a celebration dinner with friends and family; and a catwalk show before a panel of judges from the beauty and fashion industry.
Samantha 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. It is a surreal feeling to have been selected and I am thankful to have this opportunity to be part of the Great Britain finals of Miss Universe, for it is part 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. In 2017, three awards under the NOT IN VAIN campaign will be presented to finalists.
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 India to support the Sheroes Hangout initiative which helps women who have been the victim of acid attacks.
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 2017 have yet to be announced.
The current Miss Universe Great Britain is 27-year-old Jaime-lee Faulker from Sheffield. The current Miss Universe is Iris Mittenaere from France.
Submitted by Samantha Ball
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