Interview with Royal International Miss United Kingdom Role Model – Casey Petch

Firstly thank you so much for being part of my pageant lockdown blog it’s lovely getting to know fellow queens and more about the systems they represent. Me and Casey were actually talking about Royal U.K. Miss Role Model last night as not many people know this but before Hollie was the U.K. director of RIM I was actually a Royal Role Model in the Ms Section so I’m looking forward to seeing how the system has changed and more about Casey’s Journey.

What made you enter pageants?

I never realised how big they were in the U.K. I happened to come across an advert on a site I have a profile on to do extras work, and thought why not I’ll give it a go.

Previous title ?

Miss Stardust 2019

So you competed before can you tell us about your pageant journey?

I started competing in October 2018, my first pageant was Miss English Rose, I came 1st runner up and won a spot in Miss British Isles 2019. I competed in Royal international Miss in February 2019 and although didn’t place, I did win Directors choice. This was the pageant that really gave me the bug. At the time I had signed up to both R.I.M and Miss Galaxy as was unaware of you won a pageant you couldn’t compete in other pageants. As I didn’t place in R.I.M, I competed in Galaxy in March 2019 and placed in the top 10. From there I knew I wanted to re-compete in R.I.M as I loved how you were able to promote your own platform. I competed in Miss British Isles in May 2019 and didn’t place but used it as practice. After those competitions, I decided to do a few charity pageants to boost my confidence, and to help me practice. I competed in Miss Christmas Rose pageant and Miss Lakeside and winter both of those pageants. I then competed in Miss Stardust and Won the title. Miss Stardust is a pageant for newcomers which doesn’t lock you in to a years contract, but gives you the opportunity to gain experience within the pageantry Industry. The next comp was R.I.M 2020 which is the one I was gearing up for and I was so happy when I heard my name get called as the U.K. Role Model.

What made you decide to compete in R.I.M ?

The first time I competed I was made to feel so welcome, and loved what the system had to offer. I love the fact they crown a role model and that the role models are a part of choosing each years service project. R.I.M also allows you to choose your own service project to promote so it gives you the freedom to push a platform that you are passionate about. But best of all we have an amazing director who devotes her time to helping guide us and prepare us for the year as a queen and internationals.

What the best thing that pageants have taught you?

To believe in myself and never give up. It has also taught me that pageants are not at all what I expected and to never judge something without first fully understanding it.

What’s your pageant platform and why ?

I came up with my platform due to what I see in work. As a nurse you spend a lot of time with different people, mainly elderly, homeless and young adults. The one thing they all seem to have in common, or at least a lot of the patients I have looked after is that they feel lonely, unloved and sometimes unworthy of peoples time. Therefore I wanted to create a platform that was for everyone and that everyone could get involved in. My platform is ‘The importance of feeling valued, by refusing to ignore a persons worth’ #acauseforkindness. I want to make as many people feel loved as possible and feel part of the community they live in. Some of the projects I am currently involved in include: postcards of kindness where I send postcards to residents in care homes all over the country, another project is the crisp packet project where I recycle crisp packets and turn them into survival blankets for the homeless.

What’s your dream title ?

I would absolutely love to go to R.I.M internationals and win the International crown for either my division Ms or win the international Ms Role model crown.

How did it feel when you won ?

It was the most amazing feeling winning the U.K. role model and it’s such an honour as I am the only one there is in the system for the U.K. If I was to win the international crown I’d be so overwhelmed but also feel so proud of myself and also proud to represent the system as the international Queen. I really want to make my director so proud of me and want to help get her next dream to come true, which is to bring at least 2 international crowns home in the same year. As this will be a first. The main thing it would mean if I won would be that I would have an even larger audience to push my service project and hopefully help More people.

What’s the best advice you have for fellow pageant queens ?

Go out there and shine by being yourself. Don’t try to be anyone else. We are all here together to try and create more positivity In the world so remember we are here to support each other.

What have you been doing since you won ?

Since winning I have been preparing for the internationals. As a Role model you have additional things you have to do for internationals like write an essay and create a scrapbook of all the community services you have been part of. I’ve also been helping promote my sister queens projects as well as my own as it’s important to support each other. When I’m not at work I have been spending my time asking for crisp packet donations and making blankets.

How was the lockdown due to COVID19 effected your pageant journey ?

It’s been hard as you aren’t able to enjoy the year of crowning as much due to not being able to go anywhere. It has been hard trying to stay positive about internationals as they are in July so we are hoping we can go. But it’s given myself and my fellow queens time to find projects to do from home that people can get involved in, it has also encouraged me to have a much stronger social media presence.

What makes a good pageant role model ?

I think somebody who spends their time supporting others. I like to think that I am being a good role model by encouraging my sister queens and helping them. To me a role Model is somebody who makes you feel amazing about yourself and makes you feel empowered to tackle the world. I hope that is how I’m making my sister queens feel. My main aim is to encourage others around me.

What’s your favourite pageant round ?

I love evening round as I always feel so elegant.

How do you deal with pageant nerves ?

I end up chatting loads and dancing to songs before I go on stage. I find that if I am able to have a laugh and a joke it calms me down.

Social media links:

Instagram: R.i.m.u.k.rolemodel2020 Instagram: trinityjeanx (she’s doing a positivity project at the moment and it’s amazing) Facebook: Casey petch Instagram: petchling Instagram: royalinternationalmissuk

Charity project information

If anybody would like to donate any empty crisp packets to help make blankets please contact me.

Thank you so much for taking the time to answer my questions about your pageant journey. It’s been lovely getting to know your system and platform better. Also a huge thank you for everything that you are doing at the moment ! I really hope your International goes ahead in July as planned. Much Love Charlotte, Ms Diamond South Yorkshire 2020.