An eight-year-old reigning pageant queen has raised £350 for the Wales Air Ambulance.

Gabi McMillan, from Caernarfon, is the current reigning champion of ‘Little Miss Crown and Glory U.K 2019/21.

As part of her role, she has fundraised for several charities, and she hopes to raise £1,000 for the lifesaving service.

The Ysgol Maesincla pupil has so far raised £350 for the Wales Air Ambulance by running photo competitions and raffles online.

This year the Charity is celebrating its 20^th anniversary and to continue to provide its 24/7 lifesaving service to the people of Wales the Charity needs to raise £8 million every year.

Gabi was crowned Little Miss Crown and Glory U.K., which is a competition held by Crown and Glory Pageants, in 2019 but due to the pandemic she has been lucky enough to have her title extended.

Gabi, who has two younger siblings, Jai, 6, and Pria, 2, has been entering pageants since she was five years old and has raised thousands of pounds during the last two years.

As well as fundraising for the Wales Air Ambulance, Gabi’s main charity to raise funds for is Abbie's Army, which is a charity for children with brain tumours DIPG, who have life expectancy of just 9 months after being diagnosed. She has so far raised over £3,500.

Her proud mother, Debrah, said ‘All the decisions as regards the fundraising and choosing charities are Gabi’s own. She has shown a true positive spirit in an uncertain 18 months due to the pandemic. Gabi is a credit to us all.’ 

Kind-hearted Gabi has also raised funds or donated money to Glan Clwyd neonatal unit, dementia awareness and autism awareness. At Christmas time she collected items for Women’s Aid to ensure the children and women received gifts.

Alwyn Jones, Community Fundraising Co-ordinator for the Wales Air Ambulance was delighted to have met Gabi and thanked her for her fundraising, he said: “What an inspirational young lady Gabi is, in such difficult times she was entirely focused on raising funds for others in need. It’s wonderful how Gabi, at such a young age, understands the important work of the Wales Air Ambulance.  A huge congratulations to her on her fundraising for our Charity, as well as the other charities she has raised funds for. Every penny that Gabi raises will help people who need our help.”  

There are several ways that the public can continue to support the Wales Air Ambulance. These include online donations, signing up to the Charity’s Lifesaving Lottery or by coming up with their own innovative ways to fundraise at home. Further information can be found via www.walesairambulance.com. 

Alternatively, a £5 text-message donation can be made by texting the word HELI to 70711. 

You can follow Gabi’s charity work and events via her Facebook page Gabi Little Miss Crown and Glory UK.