Gail Wilson from Redding couldn’t believe it when she made the finals for Miss Scotland. Gail is 24 years old and after having tried and tested many different career options since leaving school eventually decided to join her mum running Envy Gowns, the family business.
She had always had an interest in hair & beauty which led her to complete a few courses in Nails, Make Up, Eyebrows & Lashes. It has been 10 years since they opened their first shop in Grangemouth. They have now moved into Falkirk town centre located within Callendar Square Shopping Centre. Gail says, “Watching Envy grow and expand into the business it is today is something I will always be proud of. I am very lucky to have amazing role models in my life who help me through everything I do; that being my mum and my family.”
Gail also has a passion for charity fundraising. This year she has raised £3,413 for two different charities. One is local charity FDAMH for whom she held a Charity Ball through her business Envy and raised £2,183. Gail says, “I personally have struggled with some mental health issues and FDAMH are a great support system for anyone to speak to if they are having problems. Through my work I see a lot of young women who struggle with self-confidence, eating disorders, anxiety, stress and depression. I wanted to partner up with this charity to raise awareness to our local people.”
The other charity is Chest, Heart & Stroke Scotland where she held a family fun day in Callendar Square Shopping Centre and undertook a virtual cycle from Edinburgh to John O’Groats. These events raised £1,230 for CHSS. Gail chose Chest, Heart & Stroke Scotland as her charity to fundraise for throughout her Miss Scotland 2019 journey as it was a charity close to her heart. Her mum had a stroke earlier this year which was a complete shock at the time. Gail says, “Thankfully she wasn’t left with any lasting effects, but she definitely had to overcome a few mental challenges and Chest, Heart & Stroke Scotland did that with her.
This charity has been close to our family for a long time as my granddad also suffered from a stroke about 15 years ago and lost mobility on one side and his speech. Sadly, my granddad passed away in April this year, so I felt it was important to raise money to support other families who suffer with chest and heart conditions or strokes.”
Image on Left (Gail on right)
Gail says, “My Miss Scotland journey has been an experience of a lifetime! It was something I never thought I would ever do but I am so glad I pushed myself into it. The people you meet and the experiences/challenges you are involved in are something money can’t buy.”
She explains that getting past the first round for an interview with the Miss Scotland team was a big shock for her as she had always thought they looked for models; however that’s not the case. Gail says, “They’re looking for a genuine girl with personality, determination and someone who wants to give something back to their community. This year’s Miss Scotland, Keryn Matthews, is all that and more and I can’t wait to follow her journey to Miss World later this year.” Gail was placed in the top ten this year representing the town she is passionate about and with a fantastic amount raised for Chest, Heart and Stroke Scotland.
Well done Gail!