Miss South Yorkshire launches new Coal Queen pageant which is 'for everyone'

The South Yorkshire Coal Queen contest is a throwback to the days when coal was king in the region and the National Coal Board held an annual Coal Queen pageant which ran until 1996.

It is the brainchild of Jasmine Womack, a school office manager from Doncaster, who was last year crowned Miss South Yorkshire.

The competition, being held to raise money for Zoё's Place Baby Hospice , is open to entrants aged from 12 to 100-plus.

Jasmine, who works at Castle Academy in Conisbrough, says her goal is for it to be as inclusive as possible to inspire confidence in people whatever their body shape.

“As Miss South Yorkshire, I wanted to do something for people in my region so I thought why not organise my own pageant,” said the 27-year-old, who is studying towards a Chartered Manager Degree Apprenticeship (CMDA).

"There’s no swimwear round, so people don’t feel uncomfortable, and you don’t have to be a size six model to take part.

“I want it to be completely inclusive and about raising money for charity while making friends and memories. The main thing for me is trying to build people’s confidence, especially for those who don’t have a lot of self-confidence.”

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The pageant will be held at the Holiday Inn in Warmsworth, Doncaster, on Saturday, October 8, and applications are now open.

The contest will include fashion wear, evening wear and outfit of choice rounds, and there will be a prize for whoever raises the most money for charity.

Jasmine is a finalist in Supermodel England 2022, contestants in which must compete to raise the most for Zoё's Place, and she hopes her own pageant will help her to achieve that.

Miss South Yorkshire was the first pageant she had entered, and as part of that contest she raised more than £1,500 for Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice.

For more information, and to apply, visit https://jasminedyc6.wixsite.com/misssycoalqueen or follow @SYCoalQueen on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter.