A Hexham teenager has turned her pageant title into a fundraising drive for the Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS), collecting 20 bags of unwanted clothing with help from her mother, friends, family and neighbours.
Lacey Dobson, 16, is the current Miss Teen Newcastle. The clothing was collected by Clothes Aid and recycled to raise money for GNAAS. Lacey also shared the effort on Instagram as part of her “donation diaries” series.
Why Lacey chose GNAAS
Lacey said her family knew someone who had been helped by the air ambulance after a serious accident. She said the charity was “life-changing” and that many people might not realise it is funded by charitable donations.
The Clothes Aid collection process can be booked from Monday to Friday, with collections covering County Durham, Tyne and Wear, Tees Valley, Northumberland and Cumbria. Lacey said she liked being able to arrange collection from home and described the process as easy.
After hearing about her fundraising, GNAAS invited Lacey to its headquarters near Eaglescliffe. She met members of the critical care team and toured one of the charity’s helicopters.
From pageants to community fundraising
Lacey has taken part in pageants since she was 10. Her mother initially signed her up to help build her confidence after she struggled during lockdown. Lacey said pageantry had helped her confidence while also giving her opportunities to do charity work and become involved in the community.
Her pageant career has included local titles and international competition. She was crowned Junior Miss Galaxy UK and represented the UK at the international final in Orlando, Florida, where she won Junior Miss Galaxy International in 2024. She later returned to Florida to hand the crown to her successor.
Her mother, Kay Dobson, said pageantry had given Lacey opportunities to travel, meet people, build confidence and make friendships and memories.
Next contest and continuing donations
Lacey is preparing to compete in the Miss Teen Great Britain contest, where she previously finished runner-up. She has also recently started sixth form, studying graphic design, politics and psychology, and hopes to pursue a career in law.
Despite those commitments, she has started gathering further donations for GNAAS. Lacey said the charity helps “hundreds and hundreds of people” and that supporting it was important because people may need its help in the future.
People wishing to support GNAAS through clothing donations can arrange a collection by completing the enquiry form on the Clothes Aid website or calling 020 7288 8545. Further information about the charity’s recycling scheme is available on the GNAAS website.