Northumberland teen pageant winner raises funds for Great North Air Ambulance
A Northumberland pageant winner has swapped crowns and catwalks for charity clothing collections in support of the Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS).
Lacey Dobson, 16, from Hexham, who is currently Miss Teen Newcastle, has been using her platform to help give back to the community and support charities close to her heart.
Recently, Lacey and her mum Kay Dobson enlisted friends, family and local residents to clear out unwanted clothing and other items, which were collected by Clothes Aid and recycled to raise funds for GNAAS.
The teenager said she was particularly keen to support the charity because she had seen first-hand the difference the service can make to people’s lives.
She said: “Me and my mum know someone who was helped by the Great North Air Ambulance after they had a really bad accident.
“It’s such a life-changing charity and I think many people don't realise it’s actually charity funded.”
After donating 20 bags of clothes, Lacey was invited to visit GNAAS’ headquarters where she met members of the critical care team and was given the chance to see inside one of the helicopters.
This is just one of the recent community projects for Lacey, who has been involved in pageantry since she was 10.
She said: “My mum signed me up for a pageant and I just got straight into it. It’s really helped with my confidence, and you get to do charity work and get involved in the community too. I think there are so many good things that come from it.”
Lacey was crowned Junior Miss Galaxy UK before representing the UK at the international final in Orlando, Florida, where she won the Junior Miss Galaxy International title in 2024.
She later returned to Florida to hand over her international crown to her successor. Now Lacey is preparing to return to the Miss Teen Great Britain competition, having previously finished as runner-up.
Away from the pageant world, Lacey has recently started sixth form and hopes to pursue a career in law.
But for now she is continuing to use her platform to support causes in her local community.
She said: “The charity helps hundreds and hundreds of people, so I think it’s really important to give back and support them, because you never know when you might need their help.”