Miss Ramsgate Organisation 2023

The Miss Ramsgate Organisation held their Annual Selection Dance on Saturday March 4, 2023, at the Manston Sports and Social Club. The entry criteria were for girls who are aged between 13-20 years and who live in the CT11 or CT12 postcode areas.

The competition was in two parts. The first round was held in the afternoon where the contestants sat around a table of five judges and had an informal “chat”. The second round held in the evening was a more formal affair, and the contestants gave a short speech about themselves and their favourite place in Ramsgate and then answered some questions put to them by the Master of Ceremonies, Mr Ralph Hoult OBE. The judges marked their scores on sheets which were taken away and totalled up by the adjudicator for the evening, Mr Mac Wilkinson, Former Town Sergeant.

The judges said they had a very difficult time as the contestants were all lovely girls and there were only a few points between them. The judges were looking for a good personality, good conversation skills and deportment. It is not a beauty competition but they were looking for skills to help them become good ambassadors for the Town. The judges for the evening were taken from different backgrounds: Proprietor of Scizzors Hair and Beauty Salon in Ramsgate, Ms Jazzmine Baker; Kent County Council Councillor Mr Trevor Shonk and Mrs Mandy Shonk, who are also President and Vice President of the Miss Ramsgate Organisation; Mrs Stella Collingwood, President of the Association of Kent Carnival Organisations and Co -Director of A & S Event Services, Mr Shane Scott, made up the judging panel. The evening was filled with fun and laughter on the dance floor from the Carnival Courts who came from all over Kent, as they were enjoying themselves.

At around 8:45pm, The Court of Ramsgate 2022 made emotional speeches of farewell and thanks for their time in the Carnival Court, before doing their final curtsey and handing over their crowns to the Deputy Mayor, Councillor Pat Moore and their parents.

Then at 9:30pm, the adjudicator opened the sealed envelope containing the results of the judges and announced the results. The winning girls then came forward to be crowned. First was Deputy Queen, Lucy Woodward, who was Miss Ramsgate 2022 and she was invited to accept the position as Deputy for 2023, which she accepted and she was crowned by the outgoing Deputy Queen, Alyssa Redford-Taylor. The following girls were crowned as Princesses and are treated as equals: Mollie Walker and Maddeline Le-Mare.

Then, amid tremendous applause for a very popular girl, Lana Pearce was crowned Miss Ramsgate 2023. All of the girls received lots of applause as two of them were princesses in the 2022 Court and were very popular with the other Courts across Kent.

The Ramsgate Court 2023 as they will collectively be known are always available to help out at fetes and fairs, open days or events in the Town. Their first event was on Friday March 10, where they attended the renaming of the Comfort Inn Hotel which reverted back to its original name - the San Clu Hotel.

The Court are looking forward to a very enjoyable year serving the Town in any way they can, as well as helping out with charity work and taking part in carnivals across Kent, Essex and North London representing Ramsgate. Please come and say hello if you see them out and about, and they will always be happy to have a photograph taken with you.

Thanks to all the judges and committee members for all their help in making the evening happen, and to the staff of the Manston Sports and Social Club.

Written by:
Marion Pearce
Miss Ramsgate Court Manager