Beauty queen and role model

ROLE-MODELLING... Pageant queen and charity fundraiser Nicole Ewart.

BANBRIDGE HS teacher, Nicole Ewart has just won two major titles in an international beauty pageant – however what means even more to her is the fact that she has raised thousands for worthy charities, and that she is now harnessing her new profile to raise awareness of invisible chronic conditions, such as the ones she is living with.

The inspiring 24-year-old jetted off to Paris recently for the Future of Empowering Women (FOEW) International pageants, and she won two prestigious accolades there – FOEW Miss International Supreme Queen and FOEW International Supreme Charity Queen.

The young Banbridge woman commented: “ I never thought I’d be able to achieve anything like this. I am so proud to say that I have now raised £3060.59 for brain injury charity Headway, NHS Charities Together and the Alzheimer’s Society.

"Over the past five years of being with FOEW, I’ve raised over £7,000 for our charities.

“I was diagnosed with chronic migraines when I was 16 and i have suffered with the invisible chronic illness my entire life.”

Being involved with FOEW has been a massive confidence booster for the young woman, as she explained: “It gave me the courage and self-belief that I was strong enough to achieve my dreams, despite my chronic illness.

“It gave me the platform to share my story and help inspire other individuals with chronic illnesses.

“Now as a teacher, I want to encourage pupils to fundraise for charity, and prove to other individuals with disabilities or chronic illnesses that we can achieve our dreams.”