A woman who was tormented by bullies and subjected to a barrage of abusive texts has battled back to win first prize in a beauty contest.
Nichole Howland, 21, had been popular at school but things changed after she started a new job and fell victim to bullies who sent her cruel messages day and night.
But despite her ordeal and the bouts of depression that ensued, Nichole, from Newark in Gloucestershire, has able been able to triumph over her bullies by winning the Miss Popularity crown at the Miss Bristol and Avon Beauty Pageant.
‚I used to love my job, and the girls that turned on me were close friends,‘ explains Nichole. ‚I couldn’t put my finger on anything I’d done wrong.
‚For months I couldn’t leave the house alone and when I did I broke down in tears in fear of seeing the women that had done this to me.
‚I would tell my mum that I was going to walk out onto the road in front of a car because that pain would be more bearable than what I was going through.
‚I never dreamed that I would even be able to enter a beauty pageant, let alone win the Miss Popularity Crown.
‚That was the moment I decided I wanted to continue with pageants – I wanted to show that anybody can face their fears, everybody is beautiful and most importantly, mental health issues do not have to ruin your life.‘
Nichole’s ordeal began after she left school and went to work for her local council on an apprenticeship.
She thrived in the working environment and made some good friends through work. ‚I was given responsibility and was really enjoying it, in fact I was having the time of my life.
‚But things went downhill fast. People began to change – arguments were being started in the office and I started getting hurtful texts in the middle of the night.
‚I felt small, weak and constantly questioned what I had done to deserve this kind of treatment. One particularly bad day I just cried in front of the toilet mirror. I couldn’t even bear to get the bus home for fear of looking stupid.
‚My friend came to pick me up and brought me a block of chocolate to cheer me – you know it’s bad when even chocolate doesn’t make the situation any better.‘
Despite the torments Nichole returned to work the following day, determined not to let the bullying get her down.
But later in the week she woke up with serious stomach pains and was diagnosed with a bladder infection.
‚The doctors told me I’d only need a week off work, but I didn’t get any better. I had stomach pains, no energy, dizziness, cold and hot sweats – it went on for over a month. I went back to the doctors several times and had blood test and various diagnoses.
‚I was eventually diagnosed with anxiety and depression. I cried the entire car journey home. I felt so stupid, humiliated, petty and weak.
‚For weeks I couldn’t tell any what was wrong, but when I eventually told a few friends they were really understanding and supportive.
‚But it was my mum who was my rock. It must have been awful for her to hear how her daughter planned on killing herself, and I’ll never forgive myself for that.‘
After leaving the council and her bullying colleagues, Nichole got a new part time job but it wasn’t until October last year that everything changed for the better.
When out shopping in Bristol, Nichole was approached by scouts for the Miss Bristol and Avon beauty pageant.
‚My sister and friends persuaded me to hand over my email address so they could send over the details,‘ said Nichole.
‚I thought about it for some time – how could I ever be confident enough to put myself up on stage and be judged on how I looked?
‚But then I thought, my life has been ruined, I need to challenge myself and inspire others. I made it through to the final and went on to win the Miss Popularity crown, as well as doing a lot of charity work. It boosted my almost non-existent confidence no end.‘
Since then Nichole has represented Gloucestershire in the Dream Street Beauty UK finals and has been selected to compete in the London heats for the Face of the Globe pageant.
Nichole said: ‚I want to be a role model and talk to people about mental illnesses. They simply don’t get the attention they desperately need.
‚If I can inspire just one person to turn their life around then everything I’m doing will be worth it. I still have bad days and struggle, but then I think what I have achieved.
‚In a strange way I am grateful for what happened to me as now I can use it to help others.‘
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