20th January

1.6 million RMB donated to flood victims

Miss World Alexandria Mills was in Haikou yesterday in support of the "Love Hainan, Beautiful Hainan" Donation Ceremony. The Miss World Organisation collaborated with the Shanghai More Love Foundation in presenting a total of 1.6 Million RMB to go towards the restoration and reconstruction of the areas that have suffered from the devastating storms and floods that struck the island last autumn.

Chairman of the Miss World Organisation Julia Morley and President Hu of Shanghai More Love Foundation presented the donation to the provincial City Affairs Department, with vice governor Yue Lan Fu in attendance. There were also direct donations of 1000 RMB each to two families still recovering from the disaster.

This follows the 3 million RMB already raised at Miss World 2010 with the Charity Auction Dinner held in Shanghai, at which each of the 115 contestants brought gifts from their home countries to enter into the auction. Once in Hainan, contestants visited some of the worst-hit areas, bringing much-needed food and supplies, as well as participating in a charity soccer match.

This was the first time Alexandria had returned to Hainan island since the Miss World Finals took place there in October last year. The same was the case for Miss World Africa Emma Wareus, who was first runner-up at the final in Sanya. Also in attendance was Miss World 2007 Zhang Zilin from China, one of the special guest judges at the 60th Miss World Final.

Video from the presentation can be found here.