Ex-Spalding student makes top three at Miss England 2019 in Newcastle Upon Tyne
Spalding-born presenter and writer Domenique Fragale (25) is delighted that all her hard work has finally paid off after finishing as first runner-up at the prestigious Miss England 2019 final.
Domenique, a former Spalding High School student, was among 50 women from across the country who were whittled down from 20,000 to take part in the pageant.
Held over two days at Newcastle Upon Tyne's Gainford Newbridge Hotel, Domenique entered Miss England to help raise awareness of mental health issues after losing a close to friend to suicide.
Her other aim was to promote research into leukaemia following her father Eric’s diagnosis with the disease 17 years ago.
Speaking after the pageant, London-based Domenique said: "It went really well and I was just left without words when it all happened.
"I got down to the final 20 and then the final five.
"I was lovely as we were all holding hands backstage and when they called my name out it was just amazing.
"I was in such complete shock but it was such a happy feeling having all my hard work pay off."
Domenique, who has a degree in media and performance in film, TV, radio and theatre from The Arts Educational Schools, London, secured her place in the Miss England 2019 final after entering the Miss London contest.
She wanted to use the event as a platform to stand up for those unable to do so themselves and encourage others to talk about mental health issues.
"The pageant was hard work, but I came in the top ten or 20 in most of the rounds which all accumulated towards the final results,” said Domenique who was sponsored by Leukaemia Care and In-Derm Skin Clinic, London.
"It was wonderful to have all these great women together and Bhasha Mukherjee, who won, is such a lovely lady.
"I’m delighted for her and it was great to be able to get so much publicity for Leukaemia Care too.
"As a group we raised £35,000 for The Sunshine Fund, raising money to enhance the lives of children in the North East with disabilities by funding equipment to meet their specialist needs.
"My family were there watching from the sides which was lovely."
Despite all her recent efforts, Domenique is not planning to rest on her laurels as a holder of, and ambassador for, the Diana Award following her work on an anti-bullying film when she was a teenager.
As well as attending the Miss World final in London this December as Miss England’s deputy, she also plans to continue with her mental health and anti-bullying campaigning.
Domenique said: "I know that there’s a stigma surrounding these pageants, that they are full of rivalries between the women taking part.
"But that couldn’t have been further from the truth as everyone was just so wonderful and inspiring.
"I heard some amazing stories from those taking part and I can use the Miss England competition as a platform to stand up for people who are unable to use their own voices.
Ex-Spalding High School student in Miss England final
. Miss England 2019 Bhasha Mukherjee (23), originally from Derby, made history as the first British Indian to win the title
But she is also a junior doctor at Boston's Pilgrim Hospital having recently graduated from Nottingham University with a Bachelor's degree in Medicine and Surgery.
Bhasha also speaks five languages and has her own project called "The Generation Bridge Project" which creates links between the older and younger generations.
A Miss England spokesman said: "Bhasha is an incredibly hard-working young woman and a great candidate to represent the multi-cultural country of England.
. Miss England 2019's second runner-up was Hong Kong-born Pratistha Raut (25), an architect from Aldershot who can speak three languages and raised £10,000 for the Sunshine fund.
