Joanne Chipo McLean-Angel has made a sustained and wide-ranging voluntary contribution to equity, community wellbeing, empowerment and inclusion through her work in pageantry, business, charity leadership, community advocacy and Christian ministry and outreach.

As Miss Classic Glamour UK Greater Manchester 2025 and a Miss Africa UK Finalist 2021, Joanne has consistently used pageantry as a platform for purpose. Rather than seeing these titles simply as personal achievements, she has used the visibility they provide to promote community causes, mental wellbeing, charitable fundraising, women’s empowerment and greater representation for people from African, ethnic minority and migrant backgrounds.

Joanne also serves as a BAME Officer, where she advocates for greater inclusion, representation and understanding of the challenges experienced by Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities. Through this role, she has engaged with local communities, organisations and leaders, helping to ensure that concerns affecting ethnic minority residents are heard and that people are better connected to available opportunities, services and support.

Her commitment to empowerment also extends into business and entrepreneurship. Joanne is a businesswoman and entrepreneur, as well as the founder of Women In Business Empowered CIC (WIBE), now expanding its vision through Men & Women In Business Empowered CIC (MWIBE). Through this organisation, she has created opportunities for people to access networking, mentoring, business education, personal development and community support. The organisation particularly seeks to support people who may experience barriers because of their background, finances, confidence, migration journey or limited access to professional networks.

Through WIBE and MWIBE, Joanne has helped create inclusive spaces where individuals can build confidence, develop practical skills, promote their businesses, form professional relationships and support one another. Her work recognises that economic wellbeing, mental wellbeing and social inclusion are closely linked, and that helping people become more financially and professionally empowered can positively affect their families and wider communities.

Joanne also contributes to the charity sector as a member of African Diaspora UK (ADUK). In this voluntary leadership role, she helps support the organisation’s work within African and diaspora communities while contributing her organisational, financial and community experience. Her involvement reflects her wider commitment to strengthening community organisations and supporting sustainable initiatives that benefit people from diverse backgrounds.

Mental health and community wellbeing are also important parts of Joanne’s work. Through her Miss Classic Glamour UK Greater Manchester platform, she has supported and raised awareness for YoungMinds, alongside fundraising and community initiatives designed to encourage conversations around emotional wellbeing and mental health. She has also supported projects addressing immigration concerns, financial pressures, community integration and the challenges faced by migrant families and skilled workers.

Joanne’s Christian faith is also at the heart of much of her work and her desire to serve others. She uses her faith to encourage, uplift and empower people, promoting values of compassion, love, service, hope and purpose. Through her Christian work, she encourages individuals to recognise their God-given potential, remain hopeful through difficult circumstances and use their own gifts and experiences to make a positive difference in the lives of others. Her faith complements her community work and reinforces her belief that true leadership is not simply about position or recognition, but about serving and empowering others.

Joanne is also an author, using writing as another platform through which she shares her faith, experiences, encouragement and spiritual insight. Her book, Visions in Gold, reflects her Christian journey and her desire to inspire others through faith, purpose and personal testimony. Through both her writing and community work, she seeks to encourage people to recognise that their lives have purpose and that their experiences can be used to uplift and inspire others.

Joanne has worked alongside charities, volunteers, business owners, professionals, community organisations, churches, faith communities and local leaders to bring people together, share information and create opportunities for collaboration. Her contribution includes organising and supporting networking events, empowerment programmes, community initiatives, fundraising activities and awareness campaigns.

A central theme throughout Joanne’s work is equity. She believes that people should not be prevented from progressing because of their ethnicity, migration background, gender, financial circumstances or lack of access to established networks. Her work therefore focuses on creating opportunities, amplifying underrepresented voices and helping people feel that they belong.

What makes Joanne’s contribution particularly deserving of recognition is the breadth and consistency of her service. Across her roles as Miss Classic Glamour UK Greater Manchester 2025, Miss Africa UK Finalist 2021, BAME Officer, entrepreneur, founder of WIBE/MWIBE, Member of African Diaspora UK, Christian community advocate and author, she has repeatedly used her skills, experience, faith and public platforms to benefit others.

Her achievements are not measured only through events or titles, but through the connections created, confidence restored, opportunities opened, awareness raised, faith encouraged and communities strengthened. Joanne demonstrates that community leadership can take many forms and that business, volunteering, advocacy, faith, writing and pageantry can all be used as powerful vehicles for positive social change.

For these reasons, Joanne is a strong example of purposeful leadership and community service. Her work embodies faith, service, inclusion and empowerment, while creating a lasting ripple effect across individuals, families, businesses and communities.