March Reflections: Grace, Grit & Sparkles – A Journey of Purpose, Pain and Possibility
March has been a month that has stretched my heart in ways I didn’t expect, but also reminded me exactly why I am on this journey to becoming the next Miss Great Britain Classic 2026/27.
Behind the sparkle, there has been real life. Raw, emotional, sometimes overwhelming—but always meaningful.
A New Chapter at Home
This month, Darren and I welcomed two new foster boys into our home. It has been the first time we have ever taken siblings too, so this is a first for us.
Arrivals are never easy, but this one felt particularly heavy. The boys arrived with no school place, meaning they were home for almost four weeks. Four weeks of uncertainty, adjustment, and learning how to simply be in a safe space. I can’t even imagine their stress levels arriving to their seventh placement. They asked their social worker before arrival ‘would these carers like us?’ can you imagine being 6 and 9 and your take away is that adults don’t even like you.
We made a conscious decision as a family—to keep life intentionally calm, even “boring.” No big days out, no over stimulation. Just routine, consistency, and quiet stability. Because sometimes, what children need most is not excitement—but safety.
Safety that says: You’re staying. You’re okay. You don’t have to fight anymore.
But that doesn’t mean it was easy.
Listening to the youngest cry himself to sleep was one of the hardest things. I’ve heard it many times over the years but it never gets easier. It’s kind of cry—the one that comes from deep hurt, not just tiredness— and it stays with you.
And then there was the night I found him clutching a waste paper basket in bed.
Not a teddy. Not a comforter. A bin. At six years old.
That moment broke something in me. It was a stark reminder of how little some children have had—and how much love they still deserve.
Finding Strength in Progress
Despite those early days, I’m so proud to say the boys are doing well.
They are beginning to settle. To trust and to push boundaries. To smile a little more. However, it is clear just how dependent they are of one another to the point we had asked for separate schools just so they can breathe and discover who they are as individuals.
In our home, we measure success differently. It’s not about perfection—it’s about progress.
And as always, our journey continues. Darren and I are about to welcome our 16th child for a short stay. Every child brings their own story, their own needs, and their own impact on our hearts.
My “Why”: Raising Awareness for Kinship Care
During March I have been working hard with my pageant coach on my 'why' and 'how' for my journey to be the next Miss Great Britain Classic - is not just about a crown—it’s about a cause.
I am incredibly passionate about raising awareness for kinship care and encouraging more people to step into fostering. I have been very open about my own negative experience of growing up in a kinship and the years of sexual abuse I endured.
This month, something truly powerful happened.
My story—my lived experiences, my truth—was shared by my MP, Damian Hinds, with Minister for Children and Families, Josh MacAlister.
To see my voice reach that level is something I don’t take lightly. I also acknowledge that if it wasn’t taking part in pageantry and the confidence that being part of the Miss Great Britain brand instills within you I would have dealt with my trauma quietly and slipped back into a life without sparkles……not for me now.
In the response I received, there was an acknowledgement not only of my story, but of the wider systemic issues within child protection and kinship care. It recognised the failures many children have experienced and the urgent need for reform.
There are steps being taken—stronger safeguarding systems, mandatory reporting, improved training, and a review of kinship care frameworks—but there is still so much more to be done.
This is why I will continue to speak out. If my voice can help lift the shame that a person has had to carry because of the actions of someone else then every word I speak has value.
Because behind every policy is a child. Behind every statistic is a story. And behind every story is a chance to do better.
Stepping Into the Challenge
Alongside everything at home, I’ve also started training for my Miss GB charity challenge.
I’m aiming to complete the Three Peaks Challenge—a true test of endurance, resilience, and mental strength.
It feels fitting.
Because this journey—fostering, advocating, competing—it’s all about climbing mountains. Some physical, some emotional.
And every step I take, I carry these children, their stories, and my purpose with me.
Grace. Grit. Sparkles.
If I had to sum up March, it would be exactly that:
- Grace in the quiet moments, choosing patience when things feel heavy
- Grit in the challenges that test every part of you
- Sparkles in the hope, the smiles, and the belief that change is possible
This journey to Miss Great Britain Classic isn’t just about a title.
It’s about impact. It’s about advocacy. It’s about showing the reality behind fostering—and inspiring others to open their hearts and homes.
Because every child deserves more than survival.
They deserve love. Stability. And a chance to shine.
Here’s to April—another month of purpose, progress, and pushing forward.
