ITV NEWS ANTI BULLYING WEEK

A call came from ChildLine the day after The Race for Life, and a request to appear on Grampian TV again. What twice in a week!
This time because of my first hand experience of bullying throughout my school days and Uni, as well as my involvement with Childline, I was asked if I would do an interview for the Anti bullying campaign.
The camera crew duly arrived at my flat, which was daunting. I was asked various questions about my experiences of bullying and the importance of not keeping things to yourself.
The figures for children calling ChildLIne are up 50% on last year. ChildLine Scotland has reported 8900 calls from children last year. It is a staggering amount and time the perpetrators were suitably shamed and prosecuted. ChildLine helpline is free 0800 1111 or visit www.chldline.org.uk
The interview went well and it can also be viewed on www.northtonight.grampiantv.co.uk
I intend to continue my support for ChildLine and understand I will be modelling later on this year for a fashion show to raise funds. 

CINNAMON CHARITY EVENT IN AID OF MENINGITIS UK

New Indian restaurant Cinnamon, Aberdeen hosted a fantastic evening in aid of Meningitis UK.
The evening was hosted by football legend Denis Law, with a little help from Miss Commonwealth Scotland, of course.
Cinnamon is owned by The Miah Family whose daughter Shomi sadly died of meningitis.
I was particularly happy to help raise money for Meningitis UK in memory of Shomi whose life was so tragically cut short at the age of 17.
The Miah family treated me like a princess, as well as PR Company D2, in particular Linda Carroll, who arranged and advertised the event so professionally.
Hundred of photographs were taken that night as well as a video. Part of the evening was spent with me modelling a signed Manchester United football shirt, which was bought by local businessman, Scott Clark of Internet Strategies, for over £400.
I will add at this point we also enjoyed some lovely Indian food and I hope to return to Cinnamon soon to enjoy that pleasure again.
The main point of the evening was that the event raised an amazing £4000 for Menningitis UK.
I hope to be able to continue my support for both the charity and the lovely Miah family in their quest to raise even money for their new fund  -
SMMF {The Shomi Miah Memorial Fund}.

PHOTO SHOOT

It was then up to Peterhead to one of the nicest studios I have seen. Jim Ritchie has been in the photography business for over 25 years and his photographic expertise and unusual photos he had on display impressed me at the last wedding exhibition I was modelling at. Jim and I kept in touch and he asked if I would like to do an outdoor photo shoot. I jumped at the chance to work with Jim.
We headed to a small beach called Rattray Head, 10 miles north of Peterhead on a lovely warm evening….yes we did actually have one!
Dressed in slinky silk eveningwear, wading through the dunes in my bare feet, followed by Jim and all his gear and P.A. carting all the shoes, brushes, bags etc., it was a hilarious sight.
The shoot was for magazine library and portfolio pictures. This was the warmest outdoor shoot to date. It was a beautiful beach and a wonderful experience breaking from the usual press work and indoor shoots. The photographs did not disappoint and I look forward to working with Jim in the not too distant future.

COVER GIRL COMPETITON

In July, I heard I had been chosen for D2Weddings Magazine as their next Cover Girl. This was wonderful news as I entered as myself Amanda-Jane Taylor, and didn’t mention beauty titles etc. as I felt it might either influence or jeopardise my chances. It can work either way.
At the end of August it was all hands on deck. You don’t realise how much work is involved trying to get the photographer, PR Company, Hairdresser, florist and the dress, accessories and of course ME all to come together on the same day. The day arranged it was very foggy, but hey that just adds to the atmosphere of the location………Crathes Castle, Royal Deeside.
Although the lighting caused a bit of chaos for Simon Clubb, the photographer, Karen the hairdresser from Anjools, Cults had to come out in my lunch hour as I was working that day, and the dress being shipped from Israel went astray, it finally all came together and everyone was well happy with the final result
It was a beautiful location, and I wore a dress from a designer company I model for, La’Orr Boutique. They have just heard they are now official suppliers of exclusive wedding designer Ilana-L. These dresses from Israel can cost up to almost £6000 for the bodices alone. They are out of this world encrusted with crystals and jewels. I will get to model some more or their dresses later in the year, as well as their existing beautiful designer dresses from Klara as I will model for La’Orr at the AECC Wedding Exhibition in November.
It will be very surreal as I will be handing out the very magazine I am on the front cover of, Dedicated2Weddings, whilst wearing the very dress I did the photo shoot in.

I am now officially the Face of La’Orr !

Lisa Orr – La’orr, {now you know how the name came about}, are fast becoming known as one of the top wedding dress suppliers in the area and Lisa has already been selected to go through as national retailer of the year.
They were the first company to approach me to model and we have become very good friends.
When I can, I go to some of the many wedding exhibitions they take part in and model for them.
They do a lot for charity too, which is how we first got to know each other. They donate percentages of sales, discount off wedding dresses etc., to many charities.
Their business out at Maud is expanding and they will soon be opening their new and bigger premises.
Through their success they have now asked me to be their ‘Official face of La’Orr Boutique’, which I am delighted to accept. 

INSIDE ABERDEENSHIRE
         
Just days after my Covergirl success I received a phone call asking for an interview for a new glossy in the area -
Inside Aberdeenshire.
Editor Gary Fisher arrived and we chatted for hours about my life, my beauty queen successes over the years and my singing, as well as my charity work, Huntington’s disease and bullying.
Gary has covered many local successes very sympathetically since the magazine came out.
Inside Aberdeenshire has been a huge success and I understand the feedback for the front cover alone has been immense, which I am really thrilled about. The photographs for the front cover and article were taken by Donald Stewart, a well known photographer throughout Scotland and now a good friend.
Hopefully this will let more people know what I am about as well as what I look like.

Two front covers at the same time…..
It doesn’t get much better than this …………………………

 THAI WOMEN’S CULTURE FORUM

I was then requested to guest appear as Miss Commonwealth Scotland and open the first event of its kind in Aberdeen.
Women from all different cultures and countries have these forums all over the world, but the Thai women of Aberdeen were holding their very first event. The evening was wonderful featuring beautiful dancing from Thailand. Around 40 girls and 1 boy, from the ages of 5 years old up, had travelled from Bangkok to show their traditional dances to cities around Scotland. The costumes were amazing with huge gold head dresses. The children never stopped smiling the whole evening, as the guests dined on a Thai traditional banquet. The evening ended with kilted men being asked up to partake in Thai dancing to their National Song, followed by a rendition of Aberdeen folk singing The Northern Lights of Old Aberdeen.
Far East countries have a great respect for their beauty queens and Miss Thailand, Miss India etc., have work for life AND a wonderful salary and star studded life to boot.
The Thai women in Aberdeen were very very honoured for me to attend and the dancers, although they spoke no English, bowed every time I passed, some even waving. I knew it would be a very enjoyable evening. It was! I hope they get chance to return next year and join Aberdeen’s International Festival. It was such a shame they hadn’t enough sponsorship to do so this year.

BIG FASHION SHOW

Brain Injury’s Group {BIG} asked me to guest model for their charity fashion show on Tuesday 23rd August.
The charity raises funding to help patients regain some sort of normality in their life after discharge from hospital. It supports family and carer networks. The BIG group support people who have had stroked, tumours, damage through injury etc., as well as damage through diseases such as Parkinson’s, Huntington’s and Wilson’s etc.,
I was only too happy to support this charity because of my links to such a cause though my own family illnesses.
Because of lack of local support to help train the volunteer models, I stepped in and was only to happy to show them all how to walk the catwalk etc.,
The show was a huge success selling double the previously allocated tickets. All the volunteer models did an amazing job and it was a very professional night.
My good friend KMT from Tiger Tiger Nightclub stepped in last minute to compare and I sang at the finale. It all made to a very good night and most importantly raise awareness of the charity and funding.

CLAN FAMILY FUN DAY

Saturday 20th August I did my very first official and unaided opening. CLAN Family Fun Day was a day for all families affected with cancer. It provided some fun for the children, face painting, martial art demonstrations, magic, dancing etc.,
CLAN Cancer Link Aberdeen and North, offer a wonderful respite for patients and their families. They provide bedrooms, kitchen, dining and living room facilities for families who have to travel to Aberdeen for treatment. They also provide much needed complimentary therapies to help patients cope with their treatments.
Family Fun Day was also attended by the Lord and Lady Provost, John and Helen Reynolds and they put me at my ease as I was extremely nervous about giving my first speech. Everyone assured me it went very well even though I wasn’t so sure. The Lord Provost told me it went much better than his first speech.
I was extremely impressed with all CLAN has to offer. Although I have helped raise funding before, I am even keener to help now I have visited the centre, to keep up my support for such a worthwhile and necessary cause!