Doncaster charity campaigner lands top 10 spot at Ms Great Britain

A Doncaster-area charity campaigner who has helped raise thousands of pounds for breast cancer awareness and suicide prevention has celebrated a national top 10 finish at Ms Great Britain 2026.

Charlotte Lister, 39, from Retford, who was crowned the first-ever Ms Nottinghamshire GB in July, finished ninth overall at the national finals, held at the Athena in Leicester earlier this month.

She was alsoamed in the top three for the prestigious Impact Over Image award.

The result marks an improvement on her previous appearance in 2024, when she finished 14th despite still recovering from a serious illness that had resulted in hospitalisation just weeks before the competition.

However, it is her recognition in the Impact Over Image category that Charlotte says holds particular significance, reflecting years of dedication to charitable causes and community projects across Doncaster, Bawtry and the surrounding areas.

Charlotte, who works as CSR and Partnerships Manager for the Crown Bawtry Collection, has become a familiar face across the region through her breast cancer awareness campaigns, including All in Pink and the award-winning spirit of her creative Bend & Check initiative.

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What began as Pink Bawtry has expanded into a multi-community campaign involving Bawtry, Tickhill, Epworth and Harworth, bringing businesses, residents, charities and sporting organisations together to raise awareness of breast cancer and the importance of early detection.

Her fundraising and awareness work has helped raise more than £26,000 for breast cancer causes, while more than 1,400 donated bras have been collected for reuse and recycling, including support for women affected by domestic abuse.

Her Bend & Check awareness campaign, inspired by Legally Blonde, has also attracted tens of thousands of views, received recognition in Parliament and even reached football supporters at Club Doncaster Sports Village, where one of the campaign videos was screened during a Doncaster Rovers match.

Alongside her breast cancer work, Charlotte has been appointed Project Lead for the Baton of Hope Tour in Doncaster, which will take place on 20 September 2027.

The national suicide prevention initiative is particularly close to her heart following the loss of her cousin to suicide. Charlotte previously carried the Baton of Hope during the 2025 tour and has since been working to bring businesses, charities, sporting organisations and community leaders together for Doncaster’s involvement in the 2027 event.

Reflecting on her pageant achievements, Charlotte said: “Finding out I’d finished ninth overall and reached the Top 3 for Impact Over Image was such a lovely surprise.

“In 2024, I competed after one of the most difficult periods of my life. I’d been seriously ill, spent time in hospital and was still recovering physically and mentally. Despite everything, I managed to finish 14th, which was something I was incredibly proud of at the time.

“Fast-forward two years and I’ve returned feeling stronger, healthier and with so much more to celebrate. Moving from the Top 15 to the Top 10 is wonderful, but being recognised for Impact Over Image genuinely means the world to me.

“I’ve always believed that a crown should be about so much more than how you look wearing it. It’s about what you do with the platform you’re given.

“Whether that’s encouraging someone to check their breasts, supporting a local charity or helping to start a conversation about suicide prevention, if something I’ve done makes a difference to even one person, then it’s all been worthwhile.”