Jennifer Winter works in Edinburgh and came second last year.Jennifer Winter took the Edinburgh crown(Image: Brian Hayes)

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.

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“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.”

Jennifer was runner up last yearJennifer Winter(Image: Brian Hayes)

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.

Samantha Masuku and Jennifer Winter, right, will fly the flag for Edinburgh(Image: Brian Hayes)

“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.”

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Both Jennifer and Samantha hope to use their platforms to continue to raise funds and awareness for the causes close to each of them.

Left to right, Mouveen Sharma, Samantha Masuku, Jennifer Winter and current Miss Great Britain Ava Morgan(Image: Brian Hayes)

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.”

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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.

The finalists raised more than £10,000 for two charities(Image: Brian Hayes)

“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.

Former Miss Great Britain winner Deone Robertson from North Lanarkshire pictured at the launch of a wedding show in 2013(Image: Stirling Observer)

To find out more about Miss and Ms Great Britain Edinburgh, follow them on Instagram or email: missgbedinburgh@mail.com

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: www.missgreatbritainofficial.co.uk

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