Miss GB: Newtownabbey student nurse 'honoured' to be taking part in Belfast heat

Yazmin McClean (20), who is in the second year of her Children's Nursing degree at Queen’s University Belfast, will be taking part in the Belfast heat of Miss GB at the Merchant Hotel on June 9.

The former Ballyclare Secondary pupil, who scooped the Miss Teen Galaxy Ireland award in 2021 and Miss Galaxy Ireland in 2023, spoke to this newspaper ahead of June’s event.

Yazmin, who has been entering pageants from the age of 11, explained: “I’m so excited to be part of the Miss GB Belfast heat. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity that I couldn’t miss.

"I can’t wait to meet all the girls and grow a bond with the team. This is the first ever heat for Miss GB to be brought to Belfast and I feel privileged and honoured to have this opportunity.

"The Merchant Hotel is a beautiful venue for the heat and it’s a privilege to be presenting myself at this venue.

"It would be an honour to follow in the footsteps of Miss GB winners Gemma Garrett and Eden McAllister. It would be a great achievement to succeed to Miss GB as a woman from Northern Ireland as these two inspirational women achieved.”

Yazmin, who competed in the Galaxy Pageant finals in Orlando in August 2023, has been using her profile to help support the work of charities since this experience.

She said: “My favourite part about competing in Orlando was meeting inspirational women from around the world. There’s something amazing about girls supporting each other to succeed, and we’ve definitely made that happen in Northern Ireland.

"Of course, a massive highlight was walking on an international stage and hearing the cheers and support from everyone in the audience makes the experience 100 per cent better.

"A highlight about competing in any system is being able to use my platform to work with numerous charities, sharing my work and becoming a role model to younger generations to get involved and make a difference.

"In the past year I’ve worked alongside a number of different charities, including volunteering, participating and promoting on social media platforms.

"Last year, I worked closely with TinyLife. This charity supports premature babies born in Northern Ireland. With being a student Children’s Nurse, this is something I was passionate about supporting.

"My two current charities that I am working closely with are Cancer Research UK and Alex’s Wish. I have set up fundraising pages on my social media and will be taking part in the Race for Life in London Battersea this June to raise money for Cancer Research.”

Detailing how she splits her time between her studies and pageants, Yazmin added: “One of the main things needed with a nursing career is having a work-life balance. At times this can be challenging, but as well as having a nursing career, pageants are top of my priorities.

"It’s like anything in life, if it makes you happy, you will make the time to succeed, and for me this is competing in pageants and meeting new people, working with charities and making a difference.”