A Barry teenager will be taking to the catwalk next month when she competes for the title of Miss Wales 2025.
It’s been a hectic few months for Ruby Dimond (18), a student at Cardiff and Vale College, with charity fundraising, giving a talk in a primary school, and taking part in rehearsal for the big day along with fellow competitors.
Ruby entered the competition after being spotted in a nail bar where another customer suggested she take a shot at the title. So Ruby looked up the competition online and decided to give it a go.
“Starting the journey of Miss Wales, I wasn’t too sure why I was doing it, but I knew deep down it was to gain self-confidence,” said Ruby. “I’ve got that now and I’m trying to enjoy the time I’ve got left before the final.”
Taking place in Cardiff and Newport, the final is held over three days from Thursday 1st to Saturday 3rd May. The first day is an empowerment day, while the second is a rehearsal and charity ball, and the judging takes place on the third day.
Ruby, along with the other 29 finalists, attended a training day at the beginning of March, which included being taught on how to parade and pose on the catwalk.
“I was pretty nervous, but it was really good and quite empowering. Not many people had done it before, and the ones who had done it before were willing to help,” she said. “It was a really good day. I found it very beneficial.”
As part of the competition the finalists face an interview with the judges, and have to have a project they can promote, and demonstrate how it’s working. “I’m promoting body image, mental health and physical activity,” said Ruby. “They are all things I’m really passionate about.”
Ruby, who is currently studying a Level 3 Sport course at CAVC, has given a talk to Year 6 pupils at St Andrews Major Primary School in Dinas Powys about "physical activities which will benefit them."
"Being physically active makes you so much more healthy as it releases the happy endorphins. I think it’s so important to talk about that to the younger generation,” she said.
"They are going into senior school next year. I think social media can be a toxic environment, so I want them to know, from someone who is not that much older, that social media is not everything.”
A central plank in the Miss Wales 2025 competition is raising funds for charity.
Ruby’s dad John is head coach of the youth team at Barry RFC and a former Malta rugby international, while mum Penny, a teacher, is the youth team manager.
John, who owns the Diamond Repair Centre in Barry, along with Matthew Thomas of Asguard Ltd, Cardiff, is sponsoring Ruby.
Although the final verdict rests with the judges, who will have the task of whittling the field down to a final five, votes cast by the public will come into play if there is a tie for the top places. To vote for Ruby text WELSH RUBY to 64343. Texts cost £1 and voting closes on Tuesday April 29th.
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