Giving Up Pageants for Social Work

Miss England finalist Rachael Davies is giving up modelling to pursue a career in social care. The Blythe Bridge beauty, who won her place in the national pageant after being voted Miss Stoke-on-Trent, is now focused on fulfilling her childhood ambition of becoming a social worker after graduating from Staffordshire University. The 22-year-old is also taking time out to recover from a hectic schedule and to plan her wedding to boyfriend Matt Talarczyk next August.

Rachael said that graduating at a ceremony at Trentham Gardens meant more to her than competing in the final of Miss England, which was won by Miss Oxford Eleanor Glynn.

She said: “I have decided I don’t want to pursue modelling. I want to focus on my career.

“My graduation was much better than being in Miss England because I worked really hard to achieve something I didn’t think I would be able to do. My family were all there and it meant a lot more to them.

“I always wanted to be a social worker. My mum and dad have fostered many children and I am an approved foster carer myself.

“I am also planning my wedding for next year and would like to have a family of my own one day.”

Rachael caused controversy when she won a contest to find the most eye-catching beauty in Worcestershire but she says she played by the competition rules and never denied where she came from. A competition to find the prettiest woman in Stoke-on-Trent was later revived in the wake of the controversy and Rachael took the title, giving her the opportunity to work with the Envenio casting agency and the SHD modelling agency in London.

She said: “It is not something I wanted to do seriously, modelling is such a competitive business.

“I enjoyed taking part in Miss England but it was really tough because there were 70 other girls. I probably did best in the evening wear category in which I wore a long, dark orange satin gown, but my worst bit was the acting. I was really nervous and stumbled on my lines. If I did it again I would definitely do something else. I realised acting is definitely not for me.”

Rachael’s boyfriend Matt, aged 26, said: “I was disappointed with how she did in the Miss England competition, I thought she would have gone further.

“I will support Rachael in whatever she decides to do. She has done brilliantly to get a 2:1 in her degree and it was a proud moment watching her graduation.

“I am a bit disappointed that she is giving up modelling but it is her choice and social work is something she has always wanted to do.

“We’re both really looking forward to getting married next year and setting ourselves up before having a family.”