Cheshire fashion student, Miss Lancashire and Miss Englands Top fundraiser Tabitha Bennett , her mother Vicky Bennett and the Miss England Director  Angie Beasley have been recognised at the prestigious 10th Annual World Book of Records Anniversary Awards, held in the Members’ Lounge at the Houses of Parliament.

Tabitha, who was crowned Miss England 2025 Beauty with a Purpose Top Fundraiser for raising £11,000 for charity and finished as 4th Runner-Up in the Miss England national final, attended the celebration alongside her mum, Vicky Bennett. 

Vicky, Tabitha’s mum is no stranger to the pageant world. During the 1980s, she won more than 100 beauty pageant titles, becoming one of Britain’s most successful beauty queens of her era. In recognition of both her remarkable achievements and the unwavering support she has given to Tabitha throughout her fundraising journey, World Book of Records also presented Vicky with a special award during the Parliament celebration.

The event also saw Miss England Director Angie Beasley honoured with an award recognising more than 30 years of dedication to empowering women through the pageant industry. Since becoming a national competition organiser for Miss World in 1996 , Angie has seen hundreds of young women develop confidence, careers and charitable initiatives, while modernising the competition to place greater emphasis on purpose, achievement and community service.  

Angie said: “It was a tremendous honour to see both Tabitha and her mum, Vicky, & me recognised at Parliament. I remember Vicky’s incredible success in the pageant world during the 1980s as I used to compete in many of the same pageants!  Vicky won over 100 beauty titles, so to now see her daughter following in her footsteps while making such a remarkable difference through charity is truly inspiring. Seeing all of us recognised for using our platforms was a very proud and memorable moment.”

The Miss England organisation was invited to the Houses of Parliament in recognition of its humanitarian work, following years of charitable initiatives both in the UK and overseas. Since 2019, the organisation has travelled annually to India in partnership with BOPA,  (British Organisation of People of Asian Origin) visiting schools, colleges and orphanages, supporting community projects, and raising funds for a range of charitable causes through its Beauty with a Purpose programme the Ethos of the Miss World contest. 

Beauty with a Purpose was founded by Julia Morley, CEO of Miss World. Created as the philanthropic core of the Miss World pageant, the initiative empowers contestants to use their talents to raise funds and support sick and disadvantaged children globally. Over the past five decades, the program has grown to support projects in more than 142 countries & raised millions of dollars across the world. 

The celebration took place on the hottest day of the year so far and brought together councillors, community leaders and VIP guests from across the UK along with many doctors and health workers & businesses from India to celebrate individuals making a positive difference in their communities.

During the event, Tabitha spoke about her successful “Lunch with a Purpose” charity event, organised last September in support of Maggie’s. Working closely with her local community, she secured an impressive selection of raffle prizes, including a signed cricket bat donated by Freddie Flintoff, helping her raise an incredible £11,000 for the charity.

Tabitha said “ It was an absolute privilege to be invited and recognised for such a rewarding achievement. A day at the House of Commons I will remember forever!  Thank you to the incredible world book of records organisation for their kindness and generosity.” 

The Beauty with a Purpose round has become one of the Miss England competition’s most important awards, with contestants collectively raising thousands of pounds every year for charities and community projects across England and beyond.

Santosh Shukla, CEO, World Book of Records stated “World Book of Records is committed to recognising individuals whose dedication, compassion, and perseverance create a meaningful impact on society. Tabitha Bennett’s exceptional fundraising efforts and Miss England’s  commitment to charitable causes embody the values of service and social responsibility. We are delighted to honour these achievements at the UK Parliament and wish both Tabitha and the  Miss England contest continued success in inspiring communities through humanitarian work.”

Following her success in Miss England  last year as Miss Lancashire, Tabitha is now setting her sights even higher. She hopes to qualify once again for the Miss England 2026 Grand Final by competing in the Miss England North West Beauty Awards, with the ambition of going one step further by winning the Miss England crown at the Athena in Leicester on November 17th  and representing England at the 76th Miss World Festival in Tanzania in May 2027.

Applications for the Miss England North West Beauty Awards are now open. Anyone dreaming of representing the North West at Miss England is invited to complete the entry form on the Miss England website before the end of July for the chance to win the regional title and progress to the national final.

ENDS

ABOUT WORLD BOOK OF RECORDS 

World Book of Records is an organization that catalogs and verifies extraordinary records across the world with authentic certification in United Kingdom and Europe. WBR is working with global presence in America, Africa, Asia and Australia.

For more details visit ; https://worldbookofrecords.uk/ 

ABOUT MISS WORLD BEAUTY WITH A PURPOSE 

https://www.missworld.com/beauty-with-a-purpose 

ABOUT MISS ENGLAND’S BEAUTY WITH A PURPOSE 

https://www.missengland.info/beauty-with-a-purpose/ 

For more information and photos from the event please contact 

[email protected]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Local contestants, community leaders, sponsors and supporters invited to celebrate the start of the road to Miss England

Newcastle upon Tyne – June 2026

The search for Newcastle’s next ambassador begins as Miss Newcastle 2026 officially launches

with a glamorous launch party at The Mayfair, Newcastle, on Saturday 20 June.

The event will mark the official start of this year’s competition and bring together semi-finalists,

sponsors, local businesses, charity representatives and members of the public to celebrate the

beginning of the journey towards the Miss Newcastle crown and ultimately the opportunity to

represent the city at the prestigious Miss England competition.

Miss Newcastle is far more than a traditional beauty pageant. The competition focuses on

empowering young women through confidence-building, community engagement, charity

fundraising, public speaking and personal development while providing opportunities to become

role models within their communities.

This year’s competition is proud to be supporting Tiny Lives, the Newcastle-based charity dedicated

to supporting premature and sick newborn babies and their families across the North East.

Contestants will take part in a variety of fundraising and community initiatives throughout the

competition to raise awareness and vital funds for the charity.

The launch party will provide the public with an opportunity to meet this year’s semi-finalists, learn

more about the competition and hear from some of the businesses and organisations supporting

the event.

A growing number of local partners have already joined the Miss Newcastle 2026 journey, including

official aesthetics partner Caelian House and official smile partner Elite Smile Studio, alongside a

range of North East businesses committed to supporting the contestants throughout the

competition.

Melissa Rae, Regional Director of Miss Newcastle, said:

“Miss Newcastle is about so much more than a crown. We are creating opportunities for young

women across the region to develop confidence, gain valuable life skills, support local charities and

become ambassadors for Newcastle.

We are incredibly excited to officially launch the 2026 competition at The Mayfair and welcome the

local community, our sponsors and supporters as we begin what promises to be a fantastic year.”

The competition remains open for applications, with the final round of semi-finalist auditions taking

place until 14 June. Organisers are encouraging ambitious young women from across Newcastle

and the surrounding areas to apply before places are filled.

The launch party takes place from 7:30pm on Saturday 20 June at The Mayfair Pub, Newcastle.

Members of the public are welcome to attend and support the contestants as they begin their Miss

Newcastle journey.

Event Details

Event: Miss Newcastle 2026 Official Launch Party

Date: Saturday 20 June 2026Time: From 7:30pm

Venue: The Mayfair Pub, Newcastle upon Tyne

Charity Partner: Tiny Lives

Competition Website: www.MissNewcastle.co.uk

Instagram: @missnewcastle_england

Media Enquiries

Melissa Rae

Regional Director – Miss Newcastle 2026

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.MissNewcastle.co.uk

 A Crown is Born

Jackie Turner – Miss Dorset and winner of Miss England 2003

NHS Doctor Bhasha Mukherjee adjusts the heavier crown on the night she won .

The replica crown made in China was used for Miss England finalists from around 2012 onwards until just before the pandemic

Miss England Grace Richardson. Grace said  “l love the smaller bespoke crown – lightweight, comfortable to wear on appearances and so much more elegant!” 👑

This updated version brought back balance — combining elegance, comfort, and timeless design.

 Looking Ahead

As Miss England continues to evolve, so too may the crown. Adjustments in size and style are always considered — but one element will remain forever:

The St George’s Cross at its centre.

A symbol of national pride, unity, and tradition — ensuring that no matter how the crown changes, its identity will always stay true to its roots.

Grace Richardson wearing the crown with pride in March 2026 whilst in India

From Jackie Turner to Grace Richardson, the Miss England crown continues to shine — not just as a prize, but as a legacy worn with pride.

Follow @missenglandlimited on Instagram

Every year on International Women’s Day, people around the world come together to celebrate the achievements of women and to continue the call for gender equality.

This years theme is #GiveToGain

When we give, we gain.

Together, let’s help forge gender equality through abundant giving

At the Miss England competition, the spirit of International Women’s Day is reflected in the supportive community created by its contestants and winners.

The Miss England platform is about far more than a crown — it’s about empowering young women, building confidence and forming lifelong friendships.

R-L – Angie Beasley Director of Miss England since 2002 , Grace Richardson, reigning Miss England , Lisa Powell , Choregrapher for Miss England since 2002 in the #GiveToGain pose

Angie Beasley has been the director of Miss England since 2002 on behalf of Miss World and said ” Contestants often arrive at the competition not knowing anyone, but leave having formed strong bonds with fellow finalists. Throughout the journey they encourage each other, share advice and support one another both on and off the stage. Many contestants say the experience helps them grow in confidence, develop new skills and discover their own voice. Its amazing to see women empowering each other throughout the process and become lifelong friends like Lisa and I have through helping each other” 

From mentoring new contestants to promoting important causes through their Beauty with a Purpose projects, the Miss England contest continue’s to demonstrate the values at the heart of International Women’s Day. 

The ethos of Miss World is “Beauty with a Purpose,” a philosophy that celebrates compassion, service, and the power of women to create positive change. The Miss England competition proudly embraces this vision by continually promoting initiatives that empower women both in the UK and across the world. Through charitable projects, humanitarian work, and campaigns that encourage confidence, leadership, and social impact, Miss England contestants are encouraged to use their voices and platforms to support important causes and inspire others. By championing purpose alongside beauty, Miss England helps young women realise their potential and make a meaningful difference in their communities and beyond.

International Women’s Day (IWD) is celebrated globally on March 8th each year and recognises the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. It is also a call to action for accelerating gender equality and supporting women’s empowerment across all sectors of society.

The Miss England competition is proud to stand with the International Women’s Day movement, celebrating the strength, diversity, inclusion,  ambition and compassion of the remarkable women who take part in the competition each year.