Carnival Queen Contestants
Polling has ended and the votes have been counted in this year's Maidenhead Carnival Queen 2008 competition. The lucky winner will be announced in the Advertiser on Thursday, May 22. Thank you for voting.HOLLIE GEMMEL
Schoolgirl Hollie Gemmel, who harbours dreams of becoming a forensic scientist has put her name forward to be this year's carnival queen.
The ambitious pupil, is sitting her GCSEs at Furze Platt Senior School this summer but is also aspiring to take centre stage at the Maidenhead Carnival.
"I have always wanted to be the carnival queen but until this year I couldn't because of my age," said the 16-year-old.
"Now that I am 16 to be chosen as the carnival queen would be a real achievement for me."
The Furze Platt Road resident, who has lived in Maidenhead all her life, is a keen dancer and is looking to study at Windsor College.
Mum Mandy Gemmel is right behind her daughter's bid to be queen.
"She just goes in for everything," she said. "She loves ballet and does dance shows and she wants to be a forensic scientist when she's older."
She added: "I think she'd be a fantastic carnival queen but of course I'd say that because I'm her mum. But she's so kind and pretty. She's a really lovely girl."
ZOE CARTER
Carnival queen contender Zoe Carter is hoping it will be first time lucky when the votes are totted up for this year's candidates.
The 18-year-old has considered entering the contest before - but has finally plucked up the courage to complete the entry form as a contender to the coveted crown.
The former Furze Platt Senior School student, who is working for Lloyds TSB in Marlow, is banking on the support of family and friends to clinch a fairytale day as carnival queen.
"It would feel really good to be queen," said Zoe, from Harrow Lane in Maidenhead.
"I have never been in anything like this before and am really excited."
Zoe is being backed by her mum and dad Melinda and Stuart, along with sisters Danielle, 16, and Abigail, 12.
She has chosen Cancer Research as her nominated charity, after a family member was recently diagnosed with the disease.
EMMA POOLE
A childhood wish could soon become a reality for Emma Poole as she bids to become Maidenhead Carnival Queen 2008.
The blonde bombshell from Boyn Hill, used to dress up as a princess and dreamed one day she would wear the fabled tiara.
And now the 20-year-old's dream may finally come true after the Advertiser relaunched its quest to find Maidenhead's belle of the ball.
"I would feel privileged to be carnival queen for Maidenhead," said Emma, who works at the head office of Toys R Us in Vanwall Road.
"I moved here three years ago from Slough and instantly fell in love with the town's friendly atmosphere. I love being part of this community and feel I could be doing a lot more with the people I share my life with."
The style-obsessed supplies assistant is thrilled about the pampering that could come her way if she became Maidenhead's number one VIP on June 7-8.
"I can only afford to have my hair cut about once a year so this would be really exciting," she said.
She has picked Breast Cancer Care as her nominated charity adding: "I think it's great when girls get together to support a good cause."
HARRIET BURDETT
It's fair to say that if Harriet Burdett was made Carnival Queen, she would have a huge smile on her face.
Cheerful Harriet, of Mallow Park, says that she is proud to be a Maidonian and plays a vital role in the community volunteering at organisations such as St Mark's Hospital.
Kind-hearted Harriet, a young leader at the 8th Maidenhead Guides, has just been awarded a Millennium Volunteers Award for carrying out over 300 hours of community service since October.
"I care a lot for the community and being Carnival Queen would just be a fantastic opportunity," said the 16 year-old Sir William Borlase's pupil.
"I would bring enthusiasm and a sense of fun to the role, and think that I would make everything go with a swing!"
Her chosen charity is People to Places. "My grandad suffers from Parkinsons Disease and People to Places provide him and lots of other elderly or disabled people with a wonderful service helping them to go out," she added.
LEILA MILLSON
One carnival queen hopeful has entered this year's contest in memory of her friend Indira Swann.
Leila Millson, 18, from St Mark's Road, Maidenhead, is taking part in the competition to raise money and awareness for the Indira Education Trust.
The trust was set up by Indira Swann's family in tribute to the teenager who was killed in a bus crash while on a gap year trip in Ecuador almost three weeks ago.
Indira was travelling and doing volunteer work at the time.
Leila is working at Lloyds Bank, in Dean Street, Marlow, while on a gap year and intends to go to Portsmouth University to take media studies.
Leila says she is excited about the competition, although she feels a little strange about having her picture in the newspaper.
She said: "I am excited, but basically I wanted to do this for Dira really. Even if I do not win it, people will still hear about it - I really want to get the charity across."
Explaining why she would make a great Carnival Queen, Leila said: "I want to make a difference in how people see themselves. I want to show that inner beauty is better than outer."
