The Miss Mansfield & Sherwood ambassador programme and Outstanding Teen pageant has ended.

Organiser Trish Mapletoft said: “To all our friends and supporters, it’s with a heavy heart that I must announce the end of the Miss Mansfield & Sherwood ambassador programme and Outstanding Teen pageant.

“I would like to say a huge thank you to all our past winners and competitors for making it a great success.

“We have had an amazing 40+ years of fun, friendship, laughter, learning, and unbelievable success with our fundraising.

“We have helped hundreds of local national and international businesses and charities with fundraising and developing awareness of their charities.

“We have visited some wonderful places, most notably Mansfield Ohio in the USA, where I feel we have made friendships that will last a lifetime.”

Trish said they had created  an amazing legacy of which she was extremely proud.

“All this said, due to covid and the cost-of-living crisis it seems that times are changing, especially in our local area. Money is tight across the board locally and as a non-profit organisation it’s extremely difficult to run an event without the passion and support from would-be winners for our event and title,” she added.

“It is clear to me that the Miss Mansfield & Sherwood Forest programme is not necessarily needed in 2023 to allow young women a platform to achieve. They are very competently doing that on their own in their own way, which is great.

“It’s been a huge privilege to have been part of the Miss Mansfield journey. Since winning the title myself in 1989, this amazing programme has change and improve my life and I will be forever thankful to have been a part of it all.

“Thank you to all our past sponsors and supporters – without your assistance we would never have been able to achieve what we have.

“Also, a massive thank you to all my past Miss Mansfield & Sherwood Forest and Outstanding Teen winners, who helped to raise more than £50,000 for local and national charities – you are all beautiful inside and out!”