The Cancer Research UK Race for Life

One of the biggest events for women throughout the country takes place all over the UK throughout May, June and July…..162 venues in all, with the hope of raising £23 million this year!
I was asked to promote the Scottish events as Miss Commonwealth Scotland and The Daily Record were keen to do an exclusive full page spread to publicise it, as well as give my reasons for taking part.
The 5K events give most women no excuses of turning down such an offer. There are no fast rules and you are allowed to run, jog or walk. I am not a fitness fanatic and at least have the excuse that I have to walk as my dear old mum, who lets face it, is not as fit as she once was, will be accompanying me. We are doing this not only to raise valuable funding for Cancer Research UK, but in memory of my nana, Margaret Kirk who sadly lost her 8 year battle against breast cancer only two years ago, as well as my Granddad Sandy Taylor, who died of cancer 18 year ago. Of course I have also lost many friends and acquaintances throughout the years with this disease and hopefully this little effort on my part will be my bit to help the charity.
The Aberdeen event is held on Sunday June 26th at King’s Links. Check the website for other venues and if you can please take part!

The Tsunami Disaster Appeal

Of course almost every individual in the UK did their bit to help The Tsunami Appeal. The Miss Commonwealth Organisers asked every pageant queens to do their bit to raise funds. I decided to donate my designer clothes to Oxfam and hopefully that raised a few eyebrows in the article in The News of the World, as well as several hundred pounds!

Northsound Radio’s Cash for Kids

This is a charity organised by our local radio station, Northsound. They so kindly sponsored me in Miss Commonwealth UK. Without their sponsorship I would never have got where I am now.
My way of helping was to model for La’Orr boutique, exclusive wedding and evening wear. A large percentage of the sales of their beautiful clothing was donated to Cash for Kids as well as two £500 vouchers off wedding wear for Northsound’s weekend auction. This charity funds many local children’s charities and chooses different ones every year. They raise hundreds of thousands of pounds through various events, auctions on the radio and the huge amount of generousity from the public.

The Scottish Huntington’s Association
Celebrity Golf Challenge and Awards Dinner was a sell out!

The star studded event in Aberlady, East Lothian on Monday 30th May, at Craigielaw Golf Club was followed by champagne reception and dinner at Lennoxlove Stately Home. It was a huge success.
I was particularly looking forward to meeting Sir Alex Ferguson, Dougie Donnelly, Gavin Hastings, Kenny Logan and especially having a laugh with Ronnie Corbett and Andy Cameron.
The golfing went very well during the day in absolutely perfect wall to wall sunshine. We were then transported to the stately home for the champagne reception and I was introduced to everyone. It was extremely difficult remembering everyone’s names and equally as difficult refraining from the champagne being offered. I had the raffle to do after the meal so had to remain only ‘slightly tipsy’. I had a lengthy conversation with Sir Alex Ferguson about when he too lived in Cults. Unfortunately he didn’t make the photo call later in the evening as he had hurt his back the day before, and after playing golf was in agony, so he retired early.
The event was great fun, though poignant when a film was shown to everyone about Huntington’s disease and how it affects families. Of course most of the celebs had no idea about what H.D. entailed and some were rather overcome, in particular Ann Corbett who burst into a rendition of ‘Somewhere over the Rainbow’. My family of course are facing this disease in real life and there are currently five diagnosed members.
However, the whole point of the event was to raise valuable funding and it surpassed any expectations raising a colossal £30,000.
We all staggered to bed well after midnight and only a few of us made it down for breakfast. I did as I had a train to catch, and chatted over breakfast with Dougie Donnelly. Not a lot of people can say that.

Mitsubishi / Garden Event

The same week I was very busy as on Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th May. I did promotional work for Mitsubishi at a special weekend event at Foxlane Garden Centre, Aberdeen, launching the latest Colt and Lancer. This event was being held at garden centres throughout the UK that weekend as it has been proven that more environmental aware public by Mitsubishi than any other model. This promotional work was through one of my model agencies, Right-Girls and separate to my Commonwealth commitments.

Wedding Exhibition, Palace Hotel, Peterhead. 

On 15th and 16th June from 6-9p.m., I went up to Peterhead to model wedding dresses for La’Orr Boutique. They specialise in designer wedding, bridesmaids and evening dresses. I am particularly fond of Klara Nicharova dresses which I have modelled before and hopefully in the near future I am looking forward to modelling their new Israeli designer range.
The Peterhead wedding exhibition was a very big event and I received a lot of feedback from future photography shoots, modelling and more wedding shows.

The Anthony Nolan Emmerdale Extravaganza next………………..

This was to be my busiest week to date !

On Saturday 18th June I took part in the Emmerdale Extravaganza. I was particularly excited as this time I was singing, something I have also been very successful doing. There were live gigs all day, local bands and singers performing, including the winner of The Anthony Nolan Junior Pop Idol competition, which I was asked to help judge a few weeks before the event
There was something for everyone at this event at Inchmarlo Golf Centre. It was a huge event which included a walkathon, bungee jumping, karting, wingwalking etc.,
My singing went down a storm and again I received offers of singing at nightclubs etc.,
It was particularly nice to come off the stage and be asked for autographs and photos.

The event raised a staggering £250,000 ! 

I have had to turn down several events recently, including a Ladies Day at St. Cyrus, but one thing I was glad to take part in was ……………………………..

 Celebrity Strictly NOT Come Dancing.

The following day, Sunday 19th June, it was time to put on my dancing shoes.
This was an event in aid of CLAN cancer centre in Aberdeen, and I was only too happy to help. The brainchild of Tricker PR, it involved 6 local celebrity couples, including Pauline Allan and Cheryl Paul from Grampian TV, who had to learn to ballroom dance.
Just a handful of lessons later, we then had to compete in front of a live audience. With just three cha cha lessons under my belt, my partner for the event DJ and sales manager of nightclub Tiger Tiger, Kevin Murray-Taylor, took to the stage, The Bon Accord atrium. We started off fine but nerves did get to us a little. However we received 28 points out of 30, not bad.
The event was filmed by Grampian TV’s North Tonight and hopefully raised plenty of charity money for CLAN.
Check out TV website www.northtonight.grampiantv.co.uk

From singing and dancing I then had to limber up for…………

The Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life

I had been asked by Cancer Research UK, to front the Scottish races as Miss Commonwealth Scotland, to appeal for volunteers, in particular for the Aberdeen race.
The campaign in The Daily Record back in April was an immense success and Aberdeen received record volunteers, having to close at 5339.
The event was both exciting and poignant. The sheer amount of women all running or walking for the same reason, cancer !
Every person had a story to tell, people who had lost relatives like me, friends etc., but also those who were going through treatment for cancer.
Most especially heart rendering were the ones who have survived, and in particular for me I was moved by Kelly Cumming, a 17 year old who had lost a leg to cancer and was walking on a prosthetic leg. As if that didn’t take your breath away, her friend Sam Johnstone aged 18 joined her. She was in remission, having undergone chemotherapy for bone cancer at 16 and had endured the removal of four ribs.
The day was very moving as I was taking part with my mum, in memory of my Nana Margaret Kirk who died after an 8 year battle to breast cancer 2 years ago, my Granddad Sandy Taylor who died 18 years ago to cancer, and most recent of all was the news that my Auntie Lorna had been diagnosed with cancer that very week and will start chemotherapy soon. We wish her well.
I will not hesitate to take part again in the hope that we find a cure for this dreadful disease. I managed to raise £300.

MALL TRINITY RETAILER AWARDS 2005

Saturday 25th June saw me attend the award ceremony and night out for the staff of a shopping centre who have backed me every step of the way, from Miss Aberdeen to my current success as Miss Commonwealth Scotland. The Mall Trinity and in particular Linda Stewart have been so supportive of me when others haven’t.
In the past I have modelled on special events like Valentines Day and Gentlemen’s evening at Christmastime. I also took part in the Christmas Road Train launch.
I was therefore more than happy to return the favour by supporting them, helping present awards at their ‘do’ at The Forum.
We had a wonderful evening, but sadly I couldn’t stay out too late as I had The Race for Life the following morning. I still managed to have a few glasses of champagne nevertheless, but I believe there were several hangovers the next day.