News from Mister Wales
Mister Wales prize packages
This year the winner receives a fantastic prize package:
- A trip to either Manhunt International or Mister World*
- A contract with Vibe
- The opportunity to judge Miss Wales 2012 regional qualifiers
- A series of Ambassadorial visits overseas with The Joshua Foundation (subject to fundraising)
- Shopping spree at Outfit – www.outfitfashion.com
- A year’s membership at KuKu Club
- A year’s membership with Star Now – www.starnow.com
- Personal training sessions with Cardiff’s leading trainer Gregg Coombes
- Golf day pass for Bryn Meadows Golf, Hotel and Spa
- Voucher for Funky Fish Pedispa
Thank you to those who have sponsored the prizes
Finalists of Mister Wales 2011 announced
The young men, from all corners of the country, will converge on Cardiff on Saturday 2nd July to take part in the grand final at St David's Hall.
The boys will also attend the Mister and Miss Wales Charity Ball at Holland House Hotel on Friday 1st July and take part in the Mister Wales Empowerment Day on Thursday 30 June.
The highlight of the empowerment day will be a walk barefoot over hot coals led by leading life coach Tosin Ogunussi of Think Training & Consultancy.
This year ITV Wales are also following a number of our finalists for a documentary that will be aired this autumn.
April 2011
Mister Wales Firewalk
The organisers of Mister Wales will be putting the 2011 finalists over a barefoot firewalk two days before the final this year.
The firewalk will form part of the three day Mister Wales grand final programme and will take place at The Park Inn, Cardiff. It will be lead by leading life coach Tosin Ogunnusi and wil be the highlight of a day of motivational exercies.
Paula Abbandonato, who has organised the day, said: "The purpose of the Mister Wales competition is to empower young men and do great things for charity. Having walked the coals myself I know what an incredible experience it is. I think the boys will love it - if nothing else, it's a great pub story."
April 2011
TV for Mister Wales this year
The organisers of Mister Wales have announced the 2011 finalists and ITV Wales will be spending the next couple of months following the men's progress towards the final.
The thinking behind the programme is to look at the lives, hobbies and interests of the men involved with a particular interest in personal grooming!
Paula Abbandonato, event organiser, said: "We are pleased to have the cameras involved and look forward to the programme. Miss Wales has always been of interest to the meda but now it's nice for the boys to get some attention too. It will be interesting to see how they feature and how much time they spend making themselves look good. I think we're all going to learn a lot about our contestants."
http://www.gayuknews.com/Midlands-and-Wales/mister-wales-co-hosts-mardi-gras.html
http://queermeup.com/entertainment/mister-wales-to-host-cardiff-mardi-gras/
2010
Mister Wales to co-host Mardi Gras in Wales
Mister Wales 2010, Andrew Western will be taking to the stage in front of a 40,000 strong audience at Cardiff Wales LGBT Mardi Gras this weekend to co-host the event alongside Amanda Protheroe-Thomas.
Andrew, 22, who has never done any sort of presenting before, was asked to host the main stage at the Cardiff Wales LGBT Mardi Gras on Saturday 4 September at Coopers Field only hours after he was crowned Mister Wales in June.
Andrew said, “I am really excited and nervous about co-hosting the Cardiff Wales LGBT Mardi Gras this weekend although I am pleased to be doing it with Amanda who is a close personal friend of mine as I am sure she will help to settle my nerves on the day”.
Hosting Cardiff Wales LGBT Mardi Gras this weekend will be Andrew’s first official first public appearance as Mister Wales 2010.
Andrew was crowned Mister Wales 2010 at a glittering ceremony at St David’s Hall on Saturday 26th June and has enjoyed a whirlwind experience ever since. Along with co-hosting the Mardi Gras this weekend, Andrew will opening the new DW Fitness in Wrexham later this month, running a 10km run for The Joshua Foundation and doing a skydive in October among other projects.
View this story on the Pink Paper website »
2010
Cardiff finally takes the title
Andrew Western, 22, a health and safety advisor from Cardiff was named Mister Wales 2010 last weekend at a glittering ceremony at St David’s Hall, meaning Cardiff has finally taking the title from Swansea after two consecutive years.
Andrew competed against 20 other men from across South Wales for the title. The men took part in an interview round, Welsh wear round, Swim wear round and evening wear round and were judged by Mister Wales 2008 Jonny Rees, Big Brother winner Brian Dowling, Gladiator Amy Guy and ‘Over the Rainbow’ finalist Sophie Evans. View coverage from across the web of Andrew's big night »
The runner’s up were Stuart Jones, 23, from Blackwood and Jamie Parry aged 20 from Abergavenny.
Andrew said: “I am completely overwhelmed about winning the Mister Wales title and have been buzzing all weekend. I celebrated by drinking champagne for the rest of the night and phoned my parents who are currently on holiday in the south of France to tell them and they were really pleased for me.”
Andrew will now go on to represent Wales at Mister World at a date and location yet to be announced. He will also be given the opportunity to judge the Miss Wales / Mister Wales 2011 regional heats, the opportunity to judge at the Miss Wales 2011 final and the chance to go to Lapland and Australia with The Joshua Foundation.
Andrew has also been approached by the organisers of the Cardiff Wales Mardi Gras and asked to host the main stage at the celebrations this summer.
Event organiser, Paula Abbandonato of Vibe, said: “Once again, we have a fantastic winner taking the Mister Wales title. I hope Andrew enjoys his year ahead, makes the most of every opportunity offered to him and continues to do his best for The Joshua Foundation.”
2009
Ystrad man takes Mister Charity title
A young man from Ystrad was awarded the Mister Charity title at the Mister Wales final on Saturday night after raising more than £2,000 for The Joshua Foundation children’s cancer charity.
Andrew Dowling, 25 raised £2165 for the charity after organising and holding a gig night for his band, Jukebox at the Gelli Comrads Club in Rhondda. The band pulled in a 180 strong audience and along with a raffle held on the night raised more than £900. Andrew was also sponsored to marshal at the Cardiff and Swansea midnight Ab Fab walks organised by The Joshua Foundation as well as attending the Miss Wales/Mister Wales challenge day.
Andrew said, “I was chuffed to bits to win the Mister Charity prize as I worked really hard to raise as much money as I could for The Joshua Foundation over the two months in the run up to the final. I am really pleased that I could do my bit for such a fantastic course”.
“The Mister Wales competition has been a fantastic experience and I have enjoyed every minute of it. Not only have I made some great friends but I have also helped raise money for children with cancer. I would recommend the experience to anyone.”
The 21 Mister Wales contestants managed to raise £10k for charity in just two months and the 49 Miss Wales’s finalists managed to raise £60,000 for the charity totalling £70,000 raised for The Joshua Foundation as a result of the hard work of all the contestants.
President of The Joshua Foundation, Sarah Cornelius-Price said, “I am extremely grateful to Andrew for going out of his way to raise more than £2,000 for The Joshua Foundation. I know how hard it is to raise money for charity, especially during the recession, so he should be very proud of his achievement. The money raised by all the contestants will make a massive difference to the lives of children with cancer in both Wales and England and for that I am grateful to each and every contestant.”
Andrew competed against 20 other men from across South Wales for the Mister Charity title. The title of Mister Wales went to Andrew Western, 22, from Cardiff and the runner’s up were Stuart Jones, 23, from Blackwood and Jamie Parry aged 20 from Abergavenny.
Andrew and the other men took part in an interview round, Welsh wear round, Swimwear round and eveningwear round and were judged by Mister Wales 2008 Jonny Rees, Big Brother winner Brian Dowling, Gladiator Amy Guy and ‘Over the Rainbow’ finalist Sophie Evans.
