Leanne targets ‘Face of Northern Ireland’ crown

Leanne McDowell who is currently studying for a BTEC in Health and Social Care and ICT, will be competing against 48 other girls, spread across three categories, for the title at the Canal Court Hotel in Newry on August 23.

Leanne, who is from Westbury in the town, said she found out about the competition through a photographer who approached her and encouraged her to enter.

“I looked it up on Facebook and sent in an application and a photograph. I was over the moon when I got the phone-call to tell me that I had been selected from hundreds of entries as a finalist for the Face of Northern Ireland,” Leanne told the MAIL.

The Face of Northern Ireland is a unique beauty pageant which prides itself on respecting difference and welcomes girls of all shapes and sizes. Leanne will have the opportunity to receive a number of amazing prices including automatic entry into the Face of Europe beauty pageant which takes place in Disneyland Paris. The Cookstown teenager will have three rounds in which to impress the judges and she’ll be cheered on at the event by friends and family. The opening round is white dresses, the second round is party wear and the third round is evening wear.

“I’m so excited to get all my dresses for the pageant,” she added. “I just can’t wait.” There are a number of other titles to be won, including which the Miss Publicity and Miss Charity titles.

“The two charities I will be raising money for are the Rainbow Child Foundation, which is a non-profit organisation supporting underprivileged children all over the world and Headway East Kent, which is a charity set up to assist people affected by brain injury,” she said. The finalists have previously taken part in the Race For Life Challenge, raising money for Cancer Research UK.

Leanne, who receives her A Level results this summer, is hoping to go to the University of Liverpool to study either Criminology. Psychology or Public Relations.