Why Sheffield mum and proud burns survivor is on a mission to empower women

Rochelle Barrett was left with burns after a childhood accident aged just eight months old, but when she showed her burns publicly for the first time at a beauty pageant in 2016, she described it as a life changing moment.

The experience inspired her to help others feel the same way and set about starting her own pageant, Miss Unique Beauty UK - although Covid-19 meant this year’s event was cancelled, she is determined to make next year’s event ‘bigger and better’.

Rochelle said: “We need queens galore.”

The 32-year-old explained: “We want females that have suffered from disfigurement or visible or hidden differences.”

Rochelle wants to celebrate women’s differences and raise awareness, as she feels there is a lack of that out there now - she sees her purpose in life as trying to be positive for others.

She added: “All their bodies deserve to be celebrated.”

As well as making preparations for Miss Unique Beauty UK, Rochelle has been expanding her beauty salon business.

In January this year, she opened Luxe ‘Luxury For Less’ Beauty Sheffield - a discounted beauty salon which provides treatments at a reduced rate and course training with credit check free finance.

Rochelle explained: “It’s for low income/disadvantaged women who still have the right to look and feel fabulous without having to take out a mortgage and to support women that want to start their own careers but feel held back by finances.”

The salon started as part of a non profit organisation, The Empowerment Sanctuary, offering brunches and treatments to women free of charge, and it has now expanded to a larger location in Rotherham.

Rochelle, who is from the Wincobank area, said: “I was not expecting it to take off as it has.”

She believes the current pandemic situation has created a need for women to find ways to help themselves feel good.

The salon and beauty pageant are two things Rochelle has created to help other women, and empower them like she was empowered back in January 2016 when she was crowned Miss Personality at the Miss Caribbean UK competition.

She said: “I just want to help women feel amazing all day, everyday, in any way I can.”

Rochelle told how she found lockdown hard but she still sought to give 30 other Sheffield women a boost, leaving surprise gift bags outside their doors.

She explained: “I thought if I’m feeling this way, there must be tons of women feeling the same way.”

Rochelle told how it had an ‘amazing effect’ and believes acts like these show the power of women supporting women.

She wants to pass on those values to her children, who she describes as the ‘lights of my life’.

Rochelle added: “I am a mum first and love being able to show my cherubs that celebrating your uniqueness, your body as it is, always helping others.

“And knowing it’s what’s on the inside that counts is an honour.”

If you are interested in getting involved in Miss Unique Beauty, email: [email protected]

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