Miss Hampshire Rhiannon Howe from Portsmouth takes the stage at Miss Great Britain with a powerful message about eating disorders

Rhiannon Howe, a primary school teacher, used the national spotlight to champion early education and awareness

Miss Hampshire 2026, Rhiannon Howe, represented the county at the 81st Miss Great Britain finals at the weekend, held at the Athena in Leicester.

The Portsmouth teacher proudly walked the stage for Hampshire across four rounds: fashion wear, swimwear, evening wear and the private interview. In the swimwear round she stood out in a stunning black swimsuit, and she turned heads again in a striking blue evening gown, which she is believed to have embellished with stones herself.

A platform with purpose

Beyond the glamour, Rhiannon used her time at the competition to speak about her platform, Recovery with Rhi. She campaigns for change and for better education around eating disorders, drawing on her own experience of anorexia nervosa when she was younger.

In an age of Ozempic and fat-loss culture, she believes it has never been more important to raise awareness of the dangers of disordered eating. Her aim is to educate doctors, nurses and teachers so they can spot the warning signs early.

Lessons from the classroom

Rhiannon's work as a primary school teacher gives her a front-row view of the issue. She sees first-hand how aware young children can be of weight and weight loss, and she believes the conversation must begin early to protect the younger generation.

What's next

Rhiannon will continue as Miss Hampshire for the remaining nine months of her reign, and will keep spreading her message throughout that time.

The Miss GB Hampshire organisation will hold its 2027 finals in Southampton next year, and applications are now open to anyone aged 18 to 30.

Anyone interested in finding out more is invited to a Christmas market meet-up with Director Aryana and fellow finalists, where you can also meet Miss Hampshire in person.