22-year-old Civil Servant Abigael Mages is entering her first Miss Wales pageant in May and like many of the other female finalists is keen to use the platform to make a difference within her local community and beyond.
At first glance, it may seem as though beauty pageants stress the idea that women are only valued for their physical appearance. However, pageants today look beyond that.
Participation gives women a chance to practice their public speaking skills, build the confidence to stand up in front of a large crowd and influence younger generations with the cause they want to promote.
Contestants participate in charitable activities, serving as excellent role models for younger girls.
“There is such a stigma behind it [pageantry]. I didn’t know what to expect when I got picked,” explained Abigael.
“I think it gives yourself a bit of a platform to push yourself. People ask me how it all happens, and I say I just applied, but you need to know what you want to get from the experience.
“I want to help people, and when you learn more about it, they help you focus on the area that you are interested in. For me that was domestic violence – alongside that, I want to help people feel more confident.”
The Miss Wales 2025 final will take place in May and involve a three-day event including an empowerment day designed to boost the confidence of contestants; the Miss Wales Charity Ball in aid of the Miss World charity Beauty With A Purpose; and a catwalk event in front of an audience and panel of judges.
The events will take place in the Holland House Hotel in Cardiff and The Riverfront in Newport.
In the run-up to the final, the girls will undertake a series of challenges including raising money for the Miss World Charity, Beauty With A Purpose as well as supporting the not-for-profit organisation, A-Sisterhood, which helps women’s causes in the UK and overseas.
“I want to be the best version of myself,” continued Abigael. I like to be outgoing; I do that a lot. It is just me – it costs nothing to be kind. A big thing for me in life is how you treat people.
“After the events of the last year, I have changed my life around and the mindset and perspective I look at things because of what I have been through.
“I have pushed myself to do things that I thought I wouldn’t be able to do like be a healthy and more confident and happier person after hitting such a low point.
“I was in a really bad abusive relationship where I was made to feel that I was worth nothing.
“I was constantly being called all different names to the point where I lost a lot of weight – it made me really unhealthy.
“I started to look at myself and I had lost three stone in as many months and was really unwell.
“People were concerned about how skinny I was, but they didn’t know what was going on and I struggled to speak up about it and tell anyone, so I went through that part alone.
“Once that relationship was over, I realised I had just basically stopped eating.
“When my friends and family knew what was going on and I had put the report in about what had happened they were really supportive.
“I was given the Clare’s Law [disclosure report by the police] and found out I wasn’t the first girl that had been abused. Had I had done that at the start I would have known to have stayed away.
“I had hit such a low that I had no confidence. I decided to try and make a change and get a personal trainer. She was amazing and was also like a therapist as well and helped me a lot.
“I started going to the gym and looked healthier and more confident and it then became routine.
“It gave me a result that I am really happy with. I can now look at myself and be proud of how far I have come.
“I want to help other people to feel like that. I think if you are lacking confidence a good way to start looking at things is by starting at looking after yourself.”
Welsh speaker Abigael has turned the corner now and is looking forward to the forthcoming event and has been busy juggling various charity events around her studies and work at Swansea’s DVLA.
After meeting her fellow contestants in December at a Christmas event, May can’t come soon enough.
“I was slightly apprehensive about what everyone would be like. I had never met people who do these events,” said Abigael.
“For a lot of them, it’s their second or third time doing things like this. This is my first. I have met the girls now where we had a Christmas event, and it was really good.
“The girls were not bitchy or anything everyone is lovely. A lot of them have their own reasons for why they are there but all want to help people.
“They have different charities they want to raise for within Miss Wales and all feel it’s nice to be doing something good.
“I have raised money for McMillan. My mother works in Singleton Hospital in the Oncology department, and we have done cake days there.
“I had two sponsors, one is my dad who has a garage, and the other is a salon I used to work in run by my best friend’s mother.
“I decided also to do a charity girl’s night as there are a lot of people who are excited and want to know about the details [of the competition].
“Money will be raised through the tickets for the event and prizes donated. That will go to the charity Beauty with a Purpose Sisterhood.
“We will be doing karaoke with a theme of the best girl stars ever and we will also be running a raffle, a bit of bingo and playing a few games.
“Closer to the event I also want to look at running a yoga class with my fitness trainer which will link to the health part.”
Whilst Abigael would love to win the event in spring, she feels just being part of the competition will make a massive difference.
“Whoever wins the crown for 2025 gets to represent Wales at Miss World. I would love for it to be me; we are all in it to win it,” enthused Abigael.
“It’s more though the causes that are important and I’m happy just to be taking part. From all of this, I want to encourage girls to use the Clare’s Law because it is there for a reason.
“A lot of people my age suffer with anxieties for various reasons. If I can help people gain more confidence in the choices, they make in themselves it will be such a big thing.”
[Lead image: Abigael Mages]
