Background Valerie was born in November 1946 to Ernest and Phyllis Holmes of Winchmore Hill, a small suburb of London, England.
Achievements She was the first delegate from her country to win the competition. She won the Mission Enfield contest in 1969. This victory paved the way for her to compete and eventually win the title of Mission Britain, and from that on, to take the crown at the Mission International contest of 1969. Following her win at the international pageant held in Tokyo, Japan, she toured the globe for a year, ending up back in Japan, in Osaka to crown the winner of the Mission International contest in 1970, Aurora McKenny Pijuan.