Finalist Sophie's determined to make mark in memory of dad [Edition 2]

A KIDWELLY teenager has set her sights on being crowned MissUniverse Wales in honour of her late father.

Sophie Walters, of Bridge Cottage, has reached the grand final ofthe beauty pageant which takes place in February.

In the meantime, she is striving to raise as much money aspossible for charities very close to her heart, via the Hemraj GoyalFoundation.

And inspiring Sophie's dream is the memory of her father, DavidHuw Walters, who died last year at the age of 49, the day before sheturned 18.

"My dad was a bit of a pusher and he always told me to go intoMiss Carmarthenshire and things like that," said the 19-year-old.

"Last year he died a day before my birthday, because of a mixtureof things including chronic lung disease and a heart attack. I wasin a spin after he passed away and living every day the same indepression.

"My dad loved doing things for charity and he was involved withthe Kidwelly Youth Club, and doing things like this for charitymotivates me and pulls me out of that spin.

"I know doing this it would have made him very proud."

Sophie also lost her grandmother Lillian to breast cancer.

"The charity is really close to home," she said.

Funds raised for the foundation will be split between theStrongbones Children's Charity -- set up to help families who havechildren suffering from brittle bone disease -- and The Haven BreastCancer Support Charity, which helps people deal with the physicaland emotional side effects of breast cancer. And the AmmanfordCollege childcare student also has longer term ambitions to make adifference to young people.

"I want to make an impact on children's lives and hopefully if Igo all the way and gain a title it will put me in a better positionto do so," she said.

Sophie has already raised Pounds 127 from selling charity bandsaround her college, and also held a cake stall at the Christmaslights switch-on in Kidwelly.

Now, the would-be beauty queen has a range of other events up hersleeve, including one in Kidwelly based on the TV show The Only Wayis Essex.

"I am holding an event at the Lord Nelson Inn for Haven BreastCancer in December called The Only Way is Kidwelly," she said.

"Hopefully it will bring a bit of glitz and glamour andexcitement to the town for the night, where ladies can wear smartdresses and men can get suited and booted," she said.

?The Only Way is Kidwelly takes place at the Lord Nelson Inn onDecember 17 at 7pm.