A STUDENT from Downpatrick has been shortlisted for the prestigious title of Face of the Globe.
Twenty year-old Grainne Branagan, who is now a student of Youth and Criminal Justice at Nottingham Trent University, has beaten hundreds of beautiful young hopefuls to the Midland finals of the beauty contest.
Grainne, who is a former pupil of St. Colmcille’s High School and St. Patrick’s Grammar School, said she decided to enter the competition with two friends as a means of meeting new people in the area.
Although she has enjoyed some modelling success, having made the finals of Miss Down 2012, she said she had not pursued a modelling career in England because she was unfamiliar with the industry there.
So she was delighted to be shortlisted for the forthcoming final after several interviews and is now hoping to raise hundreds of pounds for the Rainbow Child Foundation in the run-up to the event.
She said finalists were encouraged to raise money for the children’s charity with the opportunity to win a Miss Charity award on the night.
Grainne raised £250 in her first week of fundraising through family and friends and is hoping others will also support her effort for the foundation.
“We are hoping to do a fundraising Zumbathon in the next couple of weeks to help raise more money,” she said.
“The final will be held on May 11 and the total raised for the charity will be revealed then, as well as the winners for each of the different categories in the competition.
“Even if I don’t win, I am delighted to have been able to meet so many new people through this process. It has been a great opportunity.”