New organiser for Miss York contest (From York Press)

New organiser for Miss York contest

9:00am Friday 18th January 2013 in News By Mike Laycock, Chief reporter

A NEW organiser has been appointed to run the Miss York competition – and has immediately renamed it Miss York & District to open it up to a wider area and encourage more contestants.

Diane Yalezo, who has run the Miss Scarborough contest for the past three years, will stage the York final in The Voltigeur Suite at York Racecourse on Saturday, April 6.

Diane said: “It will be a fantastic night, with not only the competition but a sumptuous dinner, entertainment and dancing until late.”

She said she already had 18 entrants and urged women who are “intelligent, talented and beautiful – inside and out” to enter.

“We’re not looking for a stereotype of girl,” she said.

“The competition is open to anybody from all walks of life, in any shape or size.”

Diane has taken over the role of organiser from former Miss York Naomi Smith, who has resigned after two years in charge, having saved the contest following the sudden death of organiser Vivienne Lee in 2009.

Naomi said it had been a pleasure running the contest, and she had been proud of the two winners who had represented the city so well, but she now had other commitments which meant she could not give the time to organising Miss York that was needed.

Diane said she had been contacted a few weeks ago by Angie Beasley, the director of Miss England, to ask if she would organise the 2013 contest.

“I was more than happy to do so as my very dear friend, the late Vivienne Lee, organised Miss York right up to her sudden death in 2009,” she said.

“If I can organise it half as well as she did, I will be happy.”

She said she was looking for women who would make a good role model and representative for York and the whole district at the Miss England final.

“So come on girls; if you’re aged 16 to 24 and unmarried with no children, and live, work or study within 60 miles of York, you are eligible to enter, and can enter today at missengland.info You will thoroughly enjoy the whole experience, it’s a good way to boost your confidence and looks great on your CV.”