A TEENAGER from Chirk has raised more than £600 for underprivileged children in Wales ahead of her bid to become the next Miss Wales.

Jess Young, 17, raised £350 at a fundraising event at Chirk AAA on Saturday (March 11) that will go towards the Miss Wales charity of choice for the year, Beauty with a Purpose, a charity for underprivileged children.

Meanwhile, she raised a further £250 through an online raffle in December for the same cause.

Jess said she is really excited for the Miss Wales final which takes place in April.

She continued: "I have wanted to be Miss Wales since I was little, when my mum's friend who won the title in 2001 inspired me. 

"I also want to help as many girls as I can and I believe this title will help me even more."

The teenager is already doing as much as she can, and monthly she is giving away free sanitary products at her school, North Shropshire College

"Some people can't afford them, and I don't think that is fair," she said. "There are some things that are essential."

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Jess is also teaching dance at the Open Space Studios in Oswestry, through the Chloe Elizabeth Dance Company, and she said she enjoys that a lot.

"I think the Miss Wales titles gives you a chance to do a lot of good things," she continued. 

Jess is really excited but also nervous for the finals, and said she is very grateful to have gotten this far. 

When speaking about potentially winning, she said: "It would be an honour to win, and to have the possibility to help more young girls.

"Even if I don't win, I know that one of the other girls will do an amazing job beyond the competition.

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"Regardless, it has been an amazing journey that has helped me a lot in my personal development."

The teenager is looking forward to the finals and wants to raise as much money as possible for the charity until then.

The Miss Wales Finals are set to take place in Cardiff, on Saturday, April 15, and Jess and the other competitors only have until a few days before then to raise as much money as possible for Beauty with a Purpose.