Miss Perthshire contest launched

Mar 12 2010 Perthshire Advertiser Friday

A NEW ‘Miss Perthshire’ competition will avoid filling the shoes of the long-departed Fair Maid of Perth beauty contest.

Organiser Martine Douglas stressed that entrants, who must be aged between 18 to 24 with ties to Perthshire, could be any size or height, single or married.

“There are absolutely no restrictions, the lucky winner could be someone who might be the standard British size 16 and five foot five,” she said yesterday.

“So it’s not a beauty competition as such and the selection focus will be on three criteria – ambition, achievement and talent, as well as demonstrating appropriate credentials to represent Perth and Kinross.”

After starting her own business last year to specialise in charity events for clients such as CLIC Sargent and Macmillan Cancer Support, Ms Douglas dreamt up the pageant.

What she hopes will be an annual competition is geared up to generate funds for Almondbank-based Bravehearts Children’s Trust, which supports terminally ill or chronically sick youngsters.

“What gave me the initial idea was that a lot of my friends’ daughters were feeling a bit down after the recession last year and weren’t going out much,” she said.

“So I wanted to give them and other young females something that was fun and make them feel a bit better about themselves, raise their self-esteem.”

Rather than a swimwear section, the competition features a “beachwear” component that avoids a parade of skimpy bikinis.

“Kaftans, sarongs or anything they like really are fine – it’s about personality as much as anything,” she said.

While Ms Douglas herself is of a vintage to have been a possible Fair Maid of Perth contender, her age is a grey area.

“I did enter a modelling contest once – I was Miss Blackpool when I was five, and Ted Rogers who used to be on 3,2,1 with Dusty Bin was the judge, so that might give you some idea how old I am!” she said.

l Miss Perthshire hopefuls can download an application form at www.missperthshire.co.uk.