A 71-year-old Ayrshire grandmother is preparing to represent the area on the national stage next month at the Ms Great Britain Classic final.
Ann Marie Harper, better known as Glamour Gran Ann, is due to represent Ayrshire at the final at Athena in Leicester on Friday, October 16.
The reigning Ms Ayrshire GB Classic says she hopes her appearance could prove to be a historic one.
According to information supplied to Ayrshire Daily News, Ann Marie is expected to be the oldest contender to take part in the competition. It has also been claimed that, should she win the Ms Great Britain Classic crown, she would become the first Scottish woman to take the title.
Ayrshire Daily News has not independently verified those two record claims with the competition organisers.
With just 30 days to go, Ann Marie is concentrating on preparations for the final, including gym sessions, choreography rehearsals and her charity commitments.
Ann Marie said: “To be doing this at 71 is something I’m incredibly proud of.
“But I’m not going just to say I’ve done it. I’m competitive, I’m giving this everything I’ve got and I would absolutely love to bring that crown home to Scotland.
“To become the first Scottish woman to win Ms Great Britain Classic would be incredible. To do it at 71 would make it even more special.”
Ann Marie has previously spoken about facing difficulties during her younger years and says she was once told that she would “amount to nothing”.
She has also spoken publicly about periods of poor mental health and low self-worth.
She later established a career in the beauty industry and launched her own makeup brand in her 60s, subsequently building an online profile as Glamour Gran Ann.
According to figures supplied to ADN, Ann Marie currently has a combined social media following of more than 54,700 across Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.
Ann Marie said: “If you had told the younger me, the girl who was made to feel she wouldn’t amount to anything, that at 71 I’d be Ms Ayrshire GB Classic and preparing to compete on a national stage, I would never have believed you.
“That’s why this means so much more to me than putting on a dress and wearing a crown. It’s about everything it took to get here, and hopefully showing other women that your past or your age doesn’t dictate what happens next.”
Despite the confidence associated with her Glamour Gran persona, Ann Marie admits she still has insecurities and says appearing on a much larger national stage will be a significant challenge.
She said: “People see Glamour Gran and probably think I have bags of confidence, but I have the same insecurities as everyone else.
“There have definitely been moments when I’ve thought, ‘Ann, what on earth are you doing?’
“This is a huge step up from the Ayrshire final and, of course, that comes with nerves.
“But then I think, why shouldn’t I? Confidence isn’t about never feeling nervous or self-conscious. Sometimes it’s feeling all of those things and doing it anyway.”
During her time as Ms Ayrshire GB Classic, Ann Marie has also been supporting CLASP, an Ayrshire organisation which works with older people and aims to tackle loneliness and isolation.
Her attention is now firmly focused on representing Ayrshire at the national final.
Ann Marie added: “Representing Ayrshire at the national final makes me incredibly proud and knowing people back home are behind me means so much.
“I’m going to give it absolutely everything.
“I’ve already proved to myself that being 71 doesn’t mean slowing down. Now I’d quite like to prove that it doesn’t stop you winning either.
“To bring that crown home to Ayrshire would be the icing on the cake.”
Ann Marie Harper is due to compete in the Ms Great Britain Classic final at Athena in Leicester on Friday, October 16.