A Childwall baker and businesswoman is vying to be this year's Miss Great Britain.
Jessica Page is this year's Liverpool entrant in the famed Miss Great Britain competition. Founded in 1945, the popular pageant is the UK's oldest and is commonly regarded as the most prestigious beauty competition.
For reigning Miss Liverpool Jess, 26, it was a chance to emulate photos of her mum, who competed in similar competitions in her youth. Jess, who entered her first competition at 17, said: "I saw photos of my mum wearing beautiful dresses with curled hair, sparkly crowns and it looked so much fun. Those photos showed women all lined up on a stage with swimsuits on being judged by the panel, but all I saw at 17 was the pretty dresses and the glam of it all."
READ MORE: ITV's Loose Women pulled from air for breaking announcement
Beauty pageants are a controversial topic, with many divided on the practice, but Jess is determined to champion the positive experiences she's had while competing. Of Miss Great Britain's Beach Body round, which sees contestants enter a photo of themselves in swimwear of their choice, she said: "Miss Great Britain is the most accepting of different body types out of all the competitions I've entered and I've genuinely felt that this round is about how you show your body confidence on stage.
"The next Miss GB needs to be able to portray self-love to other young women. It's almost a full-time job. The role itself is filled with commitments to charitable and social causes both nationally and internationally.
"The winner needs the ability to hold a room, speak confidently about various issues, have people listen to what they have to say, and be an advocate for various changes in the world. It's no different than being a motivational speaker or activist."
Contestants have the opportunity to highlight issues and causes close to their hearts during the course of the competition. For Jess, her passion is women in business.
The entrepreneur, who obtained a degree in marketing from the University of Chester, is the co-director of her own business, Oh My Cheesecake, a unique dessert company which specialises in cheesecakes served up on sticks.
Like many people, Jess grew despondent with her job during the lockdowns introduced in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. She said: "Like many people, I was so fed up with my daily routine, working long hours and having no social life or much control of my work/life balance.
"I was so concerned about trying to work harder to prove myself to my managers - when I had the opportunity to work for myself and give this a go, I thought, 'what's the worst that could happen?' So, I gave it a go and here I am."
Jess went on to open her first Oh My Cheesecake shop in Lancashire in October last year and now employs five members of staff. She added: "We have such a huge Liverpool following because this is my home. We have customers travel from Liverpool to Lancashire just for our products. We are looking to open our next shop in Liverpool, but we are still looking for the right premises."
Jess is hopeful she'll snag the Miss Great Britain crown this October, and she hopes to inspire other women to venture into the business world themselves. She said: "Working for yourself isn't talked about enough to young people. Some of the most successful women in the world are entrepreneurs, and I'd like to be able inspire young people to start their own business."
Jess added: "I am really excited to have been chosen as a finalist for Miss Great Britain this year and I've already enjoyed the social aspect of the competition. The contestants have regular chats on Facebook and WhatsApp full of positivity. Miss Great Britain is Britain's longest running pageant [and] it's an honour to be a part of it."
The Miss Great Britain National Final will take place this year on Friday, October 21 at the Athena in Leicester.
Get the top stories straight to your inbox by signing up to our what's on newsletter
READ NEXT:
- Aigburth woman quit high flying London career to open Lark Lane flower shop
- B&M shoppers 'obsessed' with new autumn home range they 'need'
- Primark's £23 winter boots similar to £1,320 designer pair
- Giant 2kg Cadbury Heroes 'bulk box' shoppers say is 'such good value'
- Liverpool trainers launch 'first of its kind' gym to help people 'truly make a lasting change'
