Former M&S beauty queen dedicates retirement to charity

Margaret Regardsoe, a resident of Anchor's Hanover Court in Hythe, is continuing to give back to her community.

Ms Regardsoe has lived a 'colourful life', aspiring to be a Marks & Spencer (M&S) girl as a teenager. She became a sales assistant with the company and was asked by her manager to audition to model M&S clothing.

She said: "I think the manager chose me as I was a singer in those days and used to being on stage.  I was a soloist but also took part in many stage musicals. I also won my heat on a television talent show."

M&S wanted a team of ten girls to join two professional male models on the stage show. Ms Regardsoe would become one of them.

At 21-years-old, she became Miss Marks and Spencer 1968 – chosen from a line-up of M&S girls in swimsuits. 

Ms Regardsoe said: “I’d become a beauty queen!” 

She eventually trained as a store detective, tightening security in her Southampton store.

She said: "I once jumped on a bus with a shoplifter who was stuffing the goods she’d taken down the side of the seat by the window.

"I knew where this bus was going so I jumped off at the police station straight into CID we followed the bus by car and picked her up about half a mile away, with all the goods in her bag!"

Fast forward to now, she is still a proactive community member.

She has even recently won a national t-shirt design competition.

In 2021 and every year since, Ms Regardsoe has fundraised with other members of Hanover Court to raise money for good causes.

Anchor’s Hanover Court manager Samantha Jones said: "Since being here, Margaret has been a part of the community at Hanover Court and was involved in raising funds for our summer house which we named the Chatterbox as we never had a communal room.   

"The residents raised around £8,000 for the Chatterbox and it is used all the time, for our coffee mornings, virtual coffee mornings, Be Active fitness classes, games, our summer and Christmas parties and social events."