23 May 2019

The first face of Nominate a Smile 2019 has been revealed and her name is Genny Jones a.k.a The Confident Queen.

Born in Sierra Leone, Genny Jones (57) came to the UK aged 15. Now living in Northfleet, Kent, Genny has taken her passion for helping others to create something truly wonderful – the Confident Children Project.

The Confident Children Project works with children to improve their confidence and self-esteem and has since helped thousands of young people in her local community.

The Confident Children aims to equip children and parents with the tools they need to be confident and happier in all areas of their lives so that they can maximise their potential and be the best they can. To do this, Genny, along with a handful of volunteers, organise holiday clubs and events for local children and their families in conjunction with local organisations. During these events, Genny takes on her persona as The Confident Queen, who loves to spread smiles and positivity and does so through song, dance or just any way that will get people smiling.

A mother of two, Genny, is aware of the challenges facing young people today.  When asked what motivates her to do the amazing work she does Genny says: “Having been through a period of depression and sadness myself I know what it’s like to feel low and I wanted to help people going through the same thing. I think a smile is such a powerful thing and I try all I can to spread smiles in all of the work that I do.”

Nominate a Smile is a competition during National Smile Month to find special individuals, from all areas of the United Kingdom, who deserve recognition for their impact in the community.

Mary, a volunteer at Confident Children, nominated Genny for this year’s Nominate a Smile.  Mary says: “Genny is someone who is always putting smile on people’s faces in Gravesend. She is always at community events dressing up and making others smile. She does lots of voluntary work in the community and comes up with great events and activities for local children, young adults, and their families.”

Speaking about the first winner of the Nominate a Smile competition, Dr Nigel Carter OBE, CEO of the Oral Health Foundation, adds: “Deciding who would be the first face of Nominate a Smile as part of this year’s National Smile Month was no easy task. There have been some fantastic entries with stories of people up and down the country doing great work within their local community.

“We have chosen Genny because of her passion and incredible drive to spread smiles wherever she goes. Her work with the Confident Children project has helped numerous families and all it’s all been run on voluntary basis. Genny encapsulates positivity and the Oral Health Foundation are delighted to select her as a thoroughly deserving winner.”

Running from May 14 to June 14, National Smile Month encourages all dental and health professionals, schools, pharmacies, community groups, colleges and workplaces to join in and 'educate, motivate and communicate' positive oral health messages and improve the quality of smiles.

It’s not too late to nominate someone from your local community for Nominate A Smile.  Let us know about an unsung hero in your life who always manages to raise a smile on your face, or the faces of others.

Visit our Nominate A Smile page for more information.