AN Australian beauty is among us, with Albion Park Rail resident Natalie Meeuwissen making it to the finals of the 2014 Miss World competition.
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Natalie is one of 30 girls who will compete for the Australia Miss World crown at the four-day event at Cypress Lakes, Hunter Valley from July 24. The winner of the event will represent Australia at the event in London later this year.
Miss World is a not-for-profit organisation with all donations going to the Variety children’s charities.
Natalie has been in the modelling industry for eight years. She has featured on TV, walked the runway and modelled around the world, but she said pageants have been a whole different experience.
“I am really excited, it’s a totally different thing doing beauty pageants,” she said.
“Doing something for charity is so rewarding and just to see how happy the work that we do makes them is fantastic.”
In order to make the finals, participants had to pass two rounds and were judged on the money they raised and their performance in a show earlier this year.
“I did the 2014 Miss Universe and made it to state finals, then I decided to enter into the Miss World competition.
“If I win the crowning in the Hunter Valley, I will become Miss World Australia and go overseas for a couple of weeks and compete against 130 countries for the title,” she said.
Natalie is currently studying at the University of Wollongong to be primary school teacher and said that while her hopes were focused on winning, working with charities was also a future interest.
“Obviously I hope to win the title but if I don’t, I’ll use the experience to build relationships with the charities involved and look at doing more charity work,” Natalie said.
“I want to be able to help these kids and it’s great to see the money going to a good cause.”
A major fund-raising event dinner and show will be held at Casablanca in Double Bay on July 18 at 8pm.
To help support Natalie on her journey and raise money to Variety Children’s Charity email natalie.meeuwissen@gmail.com