Unique Magazine August 2014
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interview with sophie lydia smith<br />
Surveying the future<br />
miss chetlenham<br />
Steve: Hi Sophie great to meet you and<br />
your Mum/PA Sonia, can you explain to our<br />
readers about your how you progressed to<br />
your current job?<br />
Sophie: Currently I work in Tenant Services<br />
for Stroud District Council heading up<br />
the Repairs & Maintenance department,<br />
I started my career in a Building Control<br />
Apprenticeship which was a four year<br />
process. I have a strong work ethic,<br />
starting a Part Time at only 12 years of age<br />
and then did my A Levels at Cirencester<br />
College. I come from a family dedicated to<br />
working hard. My Mum Sonia was with a<br />
major bank for a number of years and was<br />
a Manager at Stroud College, Dad Chris<br />
runs a successful picture framing business<br />
based in Cirencester and has framed for<br />
many exhibitions in London galleries and<br />
Museums around the country as well as<br />
local boutique hotels and eateries. ,My<br />
sister Maria works as a Trainee Accountant<br />
in a local firm and brother Joshua is a<br />
Project Manager in I.T<br />
S: So how did you find yourself doing<br />
Miss Cheltenham and competing in Miss<br />
England ?<br />
Sophie : I had been modelling for a number<br />
of years in conjunction with working and<br />
studying. Miss Cheltenham looked like a<br />
great opportunity for me as I wanted to be<br />
a role model for young women in Surveying<br />
as I am only 24 myself and feel I can relate<br />
well to youngsters. The Miss Cheltenham<br />
event started in January with over 50<br />
entrants, which was narrowed down to 15<br />
finalists. I became the winner at the final at<br />
the Queens Hotel on 2nd March 14:)<br />
As the judges decision was unanimous, I<br />
didn’t need to go to the semi- finals but was<br />
fast tracked straight to the Miss England<br />
final held in June in Torquay. Nationally,<br />
the Miss England regional heats had over<br />
22,000 entrants, so I was thrilled to get to<br />
the final and ended up coming 17th at my<br />
first attempt!<br />
S: So what has winning the Miss<br />
Cheltenham crown enabled you to do ?<br />
Sophie: I love acting as a role model to<br />
young women and I help mentor students<br />
at Gloucestershire College studying for<br />
Construction & Technical Apprenticeships<br />
including Engineering & Hairdressing.<br />
page 24
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