The Premier opened her heart and her wallet yesterday with a personal donation to reigning Miss Bermuda Jana Outerbridge.Premier Paula Cox wrote a cheque, for an unspecified amount, to help Ms Outerbridge with funds needed to successfully compete in the Miss World pageant on November 6. The Progressive Labour Party also donated $1,500.Last week the 22-year-old beauty queen started fundraising efforts a ‘Rag Mannequin’ event and party at DocksiderPub to raise cash for necessary wardrobe and travel expenses for the competition in London, UK.The community donated to the cause, but ultimately she still came up short. This week, AS Cooper’s came to the rescue by donating clothing items from designers Jones New York, Nic and Zoe and Ralph Lauren; yesterday’s contribution put her on even better footing.Miss Outerbridge said: “Definitely [I want to give] a heartfelt thank you to the PLP for this, as well as Madam Premier for going into her own personal funds and being able to make a donation. It lets me know we are able to stand beside each other as a community.“To have the leader of your Country standing behind you, that in itself means a lot.”Miss Outerbridge said she kept the faith community backing would eventually come and now she can focus on mentally and physically preparing for the Miss World competition.“It’s definitely beginning to take a burden off me and now I know that the next few weeks I can definitely really focus on fully immersing myself in this experience.“I am excited, I am ready and ... confident in myself and what I have to offer, but I am still humble and willing to learn whatever I have to learn over the next few weeks.”At a press conference yesterday, Ms Cox said Government was “feverishly seeking to raise money for a number of worthy causes”.Nonetheless, it felt it was important to take time out to show “even a small token of appreciation”. She said she was impressed with Miss Outerbridge’s caring attitude towards the community, displayed during her time as a Cabinet Office intern working to counsel young people.“I think she is going to be a worthy soldier for Bermuda when she comes back and when she is finished all that she has to do.“I am glad she has taken some time out for her own career ambitions to be able to represent Bermuda. And she is a lovely young lady.”Ms Cox reflected on not only Miss Outerbridge’s physical beauty, but commended the pageant queen on her “inner sense of serenity and kindness”.She offered Miss Outerbridge a few words of encouragement before her October 18 departure. “I think she just has to be herself and she knows who she is and I think other people will see that sparkle and I hope they will recognise it.“I think she is a winner no matter what happens.”Party treasurer Anthony Richardson presented the PLP’s donation to Miss Outerbridge yesterday.Said a spokesman: “The Progressive Labour Party wishes Miss Bermuda 2011, Jana Outerbridge, all the best as she represents Bermuda on the international stage in November. We are confident she will do her best and represent Bermuda well.”