A WOMAN who combines studying with modelling has won a a top regional competition.
Olivia Birkbeck has been crowned Top Model Tees Valley 2022 after competing in a pageant last month.
The 20-year-old, from Redcar, is studying a business fashion degree at Teesside University and she competed against a group of women at Billingham Synthonia Suites on June 24.
Olivia said: “I’m enjoying the modelling while I’m younger, but I think having a degree behind me will open doors for the future.”
The Supermodel England finalist also works part-time at The Pig and Whistle in Redcar.
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The final of Top Model of England takes place at Billingham Synthonia on November 4 this year, and Olivia hopes to represent England internationally in 2023.
Most modern beauty pageants put a big emphasis on charity work and Olivia has raised over £6,5000 for Zoё’s Place.
The charity provides palliative and respite care for very ill babies and children up to five years old. There are three hostels in the country, in Middlesbrough, Liverpool and Coventry.
The cash Olivia managed to raise for Zoё’s Place was during both pageants. She took part in events such as charity fashion shows and sponsored walks.
Olivia is also hosting a charity race night to raise more funds for the hospice.
The charity event will take place on Friday, August 26, at the Corus Club in Dormanstown in Redcar and all the money raised will go to Zoё's Place.
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The blonde beauty was also crowned Miss North Yorkshire in 2019, aged just 16.
This was Olivia’s first pageant she had competed in, and she could not believe she had taken the crown as the youngest contestant.
Olivia explained that on a pageant day, the contestants arrive at the venue in the morning and have three hours of rehearsals before they are talked through the routine.
The contestants meet the director and the show starts at 6.30pm. The contestants compete in three rounds, which includes a catwalk, and then they are judged on each of those rounds. At the end of the evening the panel decides the winner and the panel is usually made up of sponsors and former pageant winners.
Olivia said: “It was a spur of the moment thing. I just saw it on Facebook and applied. I didn’t think anything would come of it so I couldn’t believe it when I got through to the next round and then ended up winning.
“It opens a lot of opportunities for me, to work with really good businesses, I’ve worked with different businesses at the Harrogate Bridal Show and I just love meeting people with the same interests as me and it’s also really good for confidence.”
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