Bourne beauty queen to compete in Miss International UK while raising funds for OCD-UK

A beauty queen is vying for a top pageantry title while raising awareness for a charity close to her heart.

Jodie Whitehead, the current Miss Lincolnshire, will put her best foot forward when she takes to the stage in the Miss International UK final on May 17.

The 25-year-old, who grew up in Bourne, has been competing in pageants since she was a teenager.

She said: “Similarly to a lot of other women that compete in pageants, I have used the system of support to help find my purpose.

“Competing in Miss International is not something that you do alone, you feel like you’re part of something bigger.

“It’s there for self improvement and pageantry brings a lot of opportunities.”

Jodie has been using the platform she has gained from pageantry to raise awareness and funds for OCD-UK, which is a charity close to her heart.

She said: “Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is something that myself, along with a multitude of others suffer with and I believe the struggles and difficulties that come in conjunction with it are often trivialised and overlooked.

“The term OCD is so frequently used and casually applied in passing conversations that it often diminishes the seriousness of the medical disorder.

“I hope that my fundraising will aid OCD-UK in their crucial work ensuring that those living with this disorder receive the understanding, treatment and support they require, as well as spread their knowledge for others to learn.”

On Sunday (April 20) Jodie will be holding an Easter egg tombola at Bourne Indoor Farmers Market at the Queen’s Road leisure centre and last month she organised an afternoon tea fundraiser in Witham-on-the-Hill.

After finishing education at Stamford College, Jodie worked as a pastry chef at The Ritz in London.

She went on to become a personal trainer and estate agent, which she balances with her volunteering work and pageantry.

“My message will continue to be that we as women are strong and we can do anything we put our mind to,” she said.