Glascoed girl Emilie Parry-Williams has written to the Beacon calling on her county to support her attempts to become Miss Wales and Miss Monmouthshire. Read on to find out more about this local beauty contestant.

I am 20 years old from Glascoed, Monmouthshire. I have lived here all my life and am from a dairy farming family.

I am training to be a classical singer and sing in french, german, latin and italian. I love opera and musical theatre and studied performing arts at Coleg Gwent Crosskeys College. In 2010 I achieved a Distinction in grade 8 singing and I am hoping to go to university in the next few years to study a degree in classical singing.

I have never done anything like Miss Wales before and it was the strangest thing that made me apply... a stranger approached me in Cwmbran one day when I was getting some food and she said I should apply for pageant work, she didn't give me her name, where she was from, nothing! after that I went home and I thought I would apply for Miss Monmouthshire as I would love any opportunity to represent the county. My application for Miss Monmouthshire was accepted and I was called to an interview at the Miss Wales offices, they explained that this year the Miss Monmouthshire title was to be given on the night of the Miss Wales final, and they were putting me straight into the final for the chance to compete for both.

It has been amazing so far and this year the Miss Wales girls are collecting for an amazing charity which is Bobath Children's Therapy Centre based in Whitchurch, Cardiff. They help children with Cerebral Palsy and really do amazing work so I am collecting for them.

The public vote is open, the winner of the public vote gets an extra 20 points going in to the final, and its via text. Its £1 per message and to vote for me they just text WELSH 36 Emilie P to 64343.

My aim in the competition is to achieve the Miss Monmouthshire title as I would love to represent my home county. After Miss Wales, I would like to do charity work for The Alzheimer's Society and raise awareness of bullying in UK schools and how to overcome it. Both are causes very close to my heart as my grandfather has dementia and I help care for him everyday.

I am being sponsored through my Miss Wales journey by Cwmbran Shopping Centre, and I am going to be working with them throughout the year, also I am very grateful to Cwmbran Shopping as without their sponsorship I couldnt have competed in the final.

If anyone wants to attend the final of Miss Wales, tickets are £20 and can be purchased at http://www.stdavidshall.co.uk">www.stdavidshall.co.uk

Emilie Parry-Williams