Charity work at heart of Miss Cardiff title; It's not all high heels and lipstick.

Byline: Matthew Aplin

THE search has begun to find Miss Wales 2009 - and Vibe Models has joined forces with the Echo to look for girls to enter the Cardiff qualifier.

The winner and first two runners up will be guaranteed a place in the grand final of Miss Wales next summer.

And if you thought it was all high heels and lipsticks that will scoop you the trophy you'd be sadly mistaken.

Judges at this year's competition will be looking for ambition and drive to reach a Miss Wales charity target of pounds 100,000 for the Joshua Foundation, a charity for children with cancer.

One applicant who looks to fit the bill is 19-year-old Sadia Ghaffar from Penylan.

The second-year law student at Cardiff University is not only a straight A student but a budding actress who loves to get on the dance floor.

She said: "My friends told me about the competition and said I should enter because I'm so outgoing and I just thought 'why not?' "I love Cardiff and wanted to stay close to home after school so I went to Cardiff University.

"I go dancing three times a week and I'm in a hip-hop group with university. I also love salsa dancing with people. It's great fun!

"I do a lot of acting and was the main character in a Radio 4 play, called Gifted, alongside Nina Wadia who appeared in Goodness Gracious Me.

"I also do charity work with Black Association of Women Step Out (Bawso) looking after children in a creche.

My motto is 'make the most of every moment of every day'."

One feathered friend who is hoping Sadia can take the title is six-year-old pet parrot, Jacko.

Sadia said: "He's a clever boy. He can say 'give me a kiss', 'thank you' and 'I love you.' He's my biggest fan!"

The interest in the Miss Wales competition is nowso great that for the first time 22 regional heats are being organised across Wales - with the Cardiff round pencilled in for Friday, November 7 in nightclub Oceana.

Paula Abbandonato, event organiser for Vibe Models, said: "The Miss Wales experience provides a wonderful opportunity for young women to have great fun and improve in confidence.

"We follow the Miss World beauty with a purpose ethos and work very closely with The Joshua Foundation which is hugely rewarding for everyone involved."

[e-mail]

HOW TO ENTER

YOUNG women interested in entering should either live, work orgo to school orcollege in Cardiff.

They should be between 16 and 24years old, and should never have been married or had children.

They must also be Welsh.

Applications for the Cardiff heat can be filled in online at www.misswales.co.uk.

Closing date forentriesis October1withthe regional final taking place on Friday, November7.

The winner of Miss Wales automatically qualifies for Miss World and will enjoy a prize package worth around pounds 20,000 including award robe from www.dress-stop.com and an all-expenses-paid five-week trip to the Miss World finalsin an exotic location overseas.

CAPTION(S):

ROLE MODEL: Law student Sadia Ghaffa is hoping to succeed in the Miss Cardiff qualifier PICTURE: Richard Swingler