It has been a whirlwind five months for Jessica Boot since she was crowned Miss Mansfield and Sherwood Forest.
Each year the Miss Mansfield programme helps a charity chosen by the winner and in the past eight years more than £20,000 has been raised.
Jessica (19), chose to support worldwide charity Women Kind, which focuses on fundamental female rights.
By chance the teenager got to meet the UK director of the charity, Farah Rose, at an awards night for the programme’s main sponsor, The Beauty Chain.
Thanks to an auction of sporting memorabilia at the event, staff of The Beauty Chain and motorhomedepot.com helped to raise £1,113 for the charity.
At her first self-organised fundraiser, a Disney Princess and Frozen tea party, Jessica and more than 140 guests collected £560.
Over the next seven months, there will be further events, culminating in a charity ball in September at Portland College.
As part of the Miss Mansfield ambassador programme, Jessica is working with local businesses and charities.
At Christmas the former Brunts Academy student helped Mansfield Rotary Club with its Santa’s sleigh collections and in January visited The Cornwater Club, based at Ravenshead, singing and playing the guitar for the charity for older people.
Jessica also attended a fundraising race night for the Princess Evie’s Trust at Debdale Park Sports and Recreational Club, Mansfield Woodhouse, which collected £1,788.
The trust was set up by Mansfield couple Rob and Amanda Jones after their daughter, Evie, died last year on the day before her sixth birthday, following a fight against leukaemia.
The trust said: “During Evie’s battle, many months were spent in hospital and our family unit was affected both emotionally and financially.
We want to help ease the strain for other families, We will provide support in whatever way we can, to ensure no one feels alone.”
Jessica was also part of the Mansfield Rotary Club team handing out prizes at its 40th Junior Showtime at the Palace Theatre, Mansfield.
To keep up to date with Jessica’s fundraising total and find out about her plans, check out the Miss Mansfield and Sherwood Forest Facebook page.
If you want her to attend a charity event, leave a message on the Facebook page or call Miss Mansfield director Tricia Mapletoft on 0798 957817.
Miss Mansfield and Sherwood Forest Jessica Boot with the founders and volunteers of the Princess Evie’s Trust at their race night.