AN NHS worker from Kidderminster is hoping to "change things up" at this year's Miss Swimsuit UK competition by inspiring others to be more real in a social media age.
Alice Elderton, who works in falls prevention at Worcestershire's acute hospitals, has been offered a place to compete for the title of Miss Swimsuit UK later this year.
The 30-year-old is hoping to change the stigma surrounding beauty pageants by using her platform in the contest to raise awareness of issues close to her heart, including mental health, after her brother Luke died from suicide at the age of 29, and eating disorders, which Alice suffered with as a teenager.
She is also keen to inspire other women to "be real and be you" instead of comparing themselves to others on social media.
Alice, who grew up in Wolverley and now lives in Kidderminster, told The Shuttle: "This is the first time I've done anything like this. Turning 30 at the end of 2020 was a very special milestone for me after losing my brother to suicide at the young age of 29 following the loss of his sight.
"After experiencing a difficult end to the year, I finally took time to reflect on my life, how far I have come and feel pride in the strong, independent woman I have become.
"In terms of the swimsuit side of things, it's been a bit of a journey for me. I started CrossFit about two and a half years ago. I hadn't trained in about 10 years, I used to be a gymnast with Wyre Forest Gymnastics and do athletics at Stourport Athletics Club, but I had an eating disorder when I was about 14 and that really impacted me.
"CrossFit has done me the world of good and it's brought me back out of my shell.
"This is something very new to me and quite nerve-racking. I like to think of myself as very natural and I think some girls get into these competitions for the wrong reasons. I want to go into this competition and change things up a bit and change people's perceptions of beauty pageants.
"With CrossFit, it's not about training to make specific changes to my body - there are no mirrors so it's more about developing your fitness and being part of a community.
"It is something I’m very open about - I want to use my own journey to raise awareness of mental health, eating disorders and suicides.
"Things are becoming a lot less realistic in this social media world but I’m happy to post anything really. It frustrates me in this day and age that people are not portraying themselves as real people. Hopefully I can inspire others to be real and be themselves."
Alice and the other Miss Swimsuit contestants will compete in three heats - a 'swimwear of your choice' round, a long dress round, and a 'release your inner goddess' white swimsuit round.
The top 10 from each heat will win a place in the final, where they will compete for the chance to represent the UK at the Swimsuit International World Finals in Mexico in November.
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