From Bristol Waters to the Crown: Mermaid Hannah Pearl, Mrs Ocean World UK 2026
- Mermaid Hannah Pearl
- Jan 23
- 4 min read
Updated: Jan 24
A Sea Change Begins 🐚
Some stories begin with a plan. This one began with a pull. The kind you feel in your chest when the tide is turning and you know—quietly but surely—that you’re meant to follow it.
When I entered Mrs Ocean World UK 2026, I didn’t step forward as a polished pageant queen. I stepped forward as Mermaid Hannah Pearl: a mermaid, an educator, a storyteller, and a woman shaped by saltwater swims, soggy beach cleans, and countless wide-eyed children asking, “Can mermaids really help the ocean?”
Winning wasn’t the dream. Being heard was.The crown simply became the conch shell that carried the message further.
Growing Up with One Foot in the Water
Living and working in Bristol means the ocean is never abstract. It moves through the city in tides and tributaries—through the River Avon, the historic harbour, and the stories embedded in our maritime past. Even inland, you feel it. Especially if, like me, you’re someone who has always listened closely to water.
Bristol shaped my advocacy long before I called it that. Walks by the harbour, days out to Weston or the Jurassic Coast, conversations with children about litter caught in seaweed—these moments formed the foundations of my mermaid work.
Mermaid Hannah Pearl was never about escapism.She was about connection.
Why Mrs Ocean World UK?
Mrs Ocean World UK isn’t a beauty pageant in the traditional sense. It’s an advocacy platform—one that asks hard questions:
How are you actively protecting the ocean?
How do you engage your community?
Can you communicate urgency without fear-mongering?
Are you willing to stand in responsibility, not perfection?
Contestants are assessed on lived impact, not just ideals. That’s what drew me in. I wasn’t interested in being the “perfect” environmentalist (spoiler: none of us are). I was interested in being effective.
My platform centred on mermaid-led ocean education for families—a deliberately playful approach to serious issues like plastic pollution, habitat loss, and climate anxiety.
The Mermaid Method: Why Playfulness Works 🧜♀️
Here’s something I’ve learned from years of working with children and parents:People protect what they love—and they love what they understand.
Mermaids create an emotional doorway. They lower defences. They invite curiosity before facts arrive. When children meet a mermaid, they don’t feel lectured. They feel enchanted. That enchantment becomes a memory—and memories shape values.
For parents, especially mums juggling mental loads and climate concern, this approach offers relief. Ocean care doesn’t have to be heavy to be meaningful. It can be woven into play, stories, and everyday rituals.
During my Mrs Ocean World UK journey, I shared case studies of:
Mermaid storytelling sessions that led to family beach cleans
Children initiating plastic-free challenges at home
Schools using imaginative play to explore marine ecosystems
Stepping Onto the Mrs Ocean World UK Stage
The competition itself was intense—but in the best way. It demanded clarity, confidence, and courage. Interviews explored not just what I do, but why I do it. Judges wanted to see alignment between message and life.
Standing on stage, draped in ocean-inspired colours, I carried Bristol with me. I carried the South West’s blend of activism and artistry. I carried every parent who has whispered, “I want to do more, but I don’t know where to start.”
And then came the moment that still feels slightly unreal.
“Mrs Ocean World UK 2026… Mermaid Hannah Pearl.” 🌙
There’s a split second after your name is called where the world goes quiet. The lights blur. Your body reacts before your brain does. I felt gratitude first—then responsibility.
Because this title isn’t about being “the best.”It’s about being accountable.
The crown represents trust: that I will use this platform to amplify ocean voices, support families, and advocate for change that feels achievable, not paralysing.
What the Crown Truly Represents 👑
Winning Mrs Ocean World UK 2026 means:
Representing the UK in ocean advocacy spaces
Expanding access to family-friendly marine education
Collaborating with organisations, schools, and community groups
Normalising joyful, values-led environmental action
It also sends a powerful message to women—especially mothers—that leadership can look many ways. You don’t have to choose between softness and strength. You can wear sequins and speak science.
Our Mermazing Miss Ocean World UK Sponsors
Ocean Advocacy Rooted in the South West
The South West is uniquely placed to lead ocean stewardship. We’re close enough to the coast to feel its changes, yet connected enough to urban life to influence policy, culture, and education.
Bristol, in particular, has a long history of activism. That spirit feeds my work. From harbour clean-ups to family workshops, the emphasis is always on participation over perfection.
Local recommendation:Plan a harbour-side day in Bristol—observe tidal movements, spot wildlife, talk about where rubbish comes from and where it goes. Pair curiosity with action, even if it’s just picking up a handful of litter.
Three Small Swaps That Create Big Ripples ♻️
Ocean care doesn’t start with grand gestures. It starts at home.
Do 1 litter pick
Swap one plastic item a month
Recycle, reuse, repurpose
Beyond the Title: What Comes Next 🌍
The work doesn’t pause because a crown is placed on your head. If anything, it deepens.
As Mrs Ocean World UK 2026, I’ll continue to:
Deliver mermaid-led eco education experiences
Support parents navigating climate conversations with children
Advocate for accessible ocean literacy
Build partnerships that prioritise inclusion and joy
Because fear alone doesn’t change behaviour. Hope does.
A Message to the Mothers Watching from the Shore
If you’re reading this thinking, “I care—but I’m tired,” I see you.
You don’t need to do everything. You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to keep listening to the small pulls—the ones that say, this matters.
Mermaid Hannah Pearl exists to remind families that protecting the ocean can feel light, creative, and shared. And Mrs Ocean World UK 2026 is proof that those gentle approaches belong on big stages too.
Let’s Make Waves Together 🌊
This win isn’t mine alone. It belongs to every child who believes magic can fix things, every parent trying their best, and every community willing to try something a little different.
✨ Bring mermaid magic and ocean advocacy into your school, event, or community. Together, we can raise confident ocean guardians—one story, one ripple, one tide at a time.
Photo credits Andrew Mee Moments by Mee Photography
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