Disabled contestant wins place to represent Portsmouth in Flawless Beauty Pageant

Stella Robinson, from Stamshaw, is due to perform in the Miss Flawless Pageant UK 2022, held on September 3 in Croydon, helping to raise funds and awareness for two charities supported by the organisation, Children with Cancer UK and the KD Crosdale foundation.

Isha-Nadeen Crosdale is the founder of the Flawless Pageant and co-founder of the KD Crosdale foundation, which supports children in and around the Caribbean and the UK.

She said: ‘We celebrate women from all walks of life, regardless of disability, culture or background. Our main focus is to break the stereotypes surrounding pageantry, we think anybody is pageant worthy.’

‘We’re excited that Stella’s on board, she’s really taken the Flawless name and run with it, she’s doing really well.’

Stella, 52, was diagnosed with an underactive thyroid in 2009, and has since struggled with symptoms of fatigue, muscle pain and in particular, brain fog and memory loss.

She said: ‘It slows me down, things take a lot longer with me. It affects my mind, but hey, I can still carry on.’

She was offered a place in the grand finale of the Flawless Pageant 2022 last month, and hopes to use her position to become an example for others thinking of entering into the pageant world with a disability.

Stella said: ‘I don’t think people would always think that disabled people would enter a beauty pageant.’

‘I was looking at a pageant next year that I’m hoping to enter. There was a lady entering that was disabled and I just didn’t feel so alone, it was really nice.’

Stella applied to be in the pageant at a low time in her life and says it has given her a new lease of life.

‘For a long time I was laying in bed not doing much, I was never going to work again, one day I thought right I’m going to London for a model shoot,’ said Stella.

After joining a casting agency called Star Now, Stella discovered Flawless Pageant and was ‘drawn’ to their inclusivity and charitable works.

Since winning her place as ‘Ms Portsmouth Flawless’ Stella has donated to the charities supported by the pageant, and plans to continue to raise awareness and funds.

Stella said: ‘I had cervical cancer 12 years ago, and my sister had breast cancer about ten years ago, it runs in my family.’

Isha added: ‘Children with Cancer UK is a charity close to our hearts, having known children with cancer, and myself and my husband set up the KD Crosdale Foundation.’

‘We enable children and young people to attend school, supporting them with scholarships and mentoring programmes. Children who may not be able to go for whatever reason, whether it’s financial or home-life situations.’