A 52-YEAR-OLD Alveston mum is a finalist in a regional beauty pageant raising funds for charity.


Shelley Reice, who is managing director of Thornbury-based care business Careflo, is the eldest in the over-30s category of the Ms Galaxy competition for 2016.


Ms Reice, who has a 17-year-old son Matthew who is currently at college studying business studies in Alveston, hopes to inspire women of all ages to recognise that there are no limits to their potential.


“Matthew says that seeing me entering a beauty pageant is quite funny but I think he’s quite proud, too,” she said.


“It started off as a bit of fun – an idea my personal trainer came up with. But as it’s gone on, I’ve got more into it.


“Now being selected as a finalist has given me a lot of self-confidence. It’s made me realise that anyone can do anything they want to, if they put their mind to it.


“From where I was last year, to where I am now with the business, I didn’t know which way to turn about a year ago but having the clarity of vision that I have now is a really empowering thing.


“If this can help draw some attention and my story can show other women in business, or in life generally, that just changing the way you think can turn your whole life around, then that can only be a good thing.”


Ms Reice is up against 14 other finalists in her category and will find out if she has been successful in February.


If she goes through, she will travel to America with nine other category winners for the Ms Galaxy International finals later next year.


The Ms Galaxy UK 2016 competition is this year raising funds for NHS cancer charity The Christie, one of the largest hospital charities in the UK which provides enhanced services over and above what the NHS funds.