Joseanne Bear to compete Miss Universe Great Britain finals

Joseanne Bear is set to participate in the Miss Universe Great Britain finals next week in Cardiff and Newport, South Wales. Miss Bear has represented Gibraltar at the 2016 Miss International pageant, and won the title of Miss Gibraltar 2016 1st Princess. Now she has returned to the pageant circuit for Miss Universe GB.

After competing at Miss Gibraltar and Miss International 2016 Joseanne Bear thought she had hung up her sashes and would not participate in any further pageants.

But, three years later she’s decided to give it another go and enter her third pageant Miss Universe Great Britain.

What drew her back to pageantry were the charitable causes Miss Universe GB supports.

Miss Universe GB supports non-profit organisation ‘A-Sisterhood’ which helps charities both in the UK and overseas.

The chosen charities include those aiding victims of acid attacks, homeless women, working to end female genital mutilation, and ‘The Black Mambas’ which is South Africa’s first all-female anti-poaching unit.

The winner of Miss Universe GB will be chosen on July 13, and will then move on to the Miss Universe pageant later this year.

Miss Bear is one of 40 finalists set to take part in the pageant next week.

“In England there is a lot more emphasis on pageant coaching and individual preparations,” Miss Bear said.

“The actual rehearsals don’t take place until the weekend before. You are left on your own and it is a very independent process. You have to practice.”

“It will be a very intense weekend where they will teach us the opening routines. The interviews will then take place in private, where you have to pitch yourself to the judges.”

She has also filmed an introduction video in Gibraltar for the pageant.

“It is exciting for me, I am a person who is always looking for their next thing,” Miss Bear said.

“Last year I was doing my Bar [barristers in law] course and that was an achievement for me. After that I went last December to Asia travelling, and then I did some solo travelling in Sri Lanka. I need things to keep me going.”

“I came back from Sri Lanka in January, I’m working but I like to have something creative in the background.”

“I always need a challenge and I like to have something to work towards. The ethos of the pageant genuinely coincides with what I agree with.

Hopefully I can inspire young girls to work hard and achieve their goals. That would be great.”

Miss Bear is currently working as a courtroom advocate in the UK.

As part of the event Miss Bear is raising funds for charity, and will be challenging herself to take on the ‘tallest permanent abseil tower in the world’ this Saturday.

She is raising funds online and will be abseiling 400ft as part of her new campaign ‘This is my challenge what is yours’.

The pageant includes an online vote which helps the contestants get a head-start on the leader board: http://www.missuniversegb.co.uk/voting.html
In the run up to the final Miss Bear has set up a platform called ‘She Will Achieve’ via website that also provides updates on Facebook and Instagram.

Through She Will Achieve, Miss Bear has held workshops, and organised a female self-defence class.

The platform has three main goals including to build a community of women who can share their experiences, to create opportunities to challenge women, and to education women on their human rights.

To find the website search: www.shewillachieve.com

Facebook and Instagram: @shewillachieve

Miss Bear’s fundraising page can be found on: www.gofundme.com/f/this-is-my-challenge-what-is-yours?