by Andrew Collins – 16th May 2014
The well attended ‘Most Spectacular’ Charity Fashion show in Worthing last night proved a very enjoyable and positive family night out.
It was hosted by Juice FM’s Guy Lloyd, with support from Cllr. Mike Mendoza, Chairman of Worthing City Council, Cllr. Norah Fisher, Mayoress of Worthing and Cllr. Robert Smytherman, Mayor of Worthing.
The fashion show was organised by Jeannette Jones to raise money for the Multiple Sclerosis charity Sussex Multiple Sclerosis Treatment Centre, based in Southwick.
LOCAL DESIGNERS
Four local independent designers provided clothes and models for the two and a half hour show held at the Assembly Hall, Worthing. The large capacity theatre provided a wonderful and spacious venue for the event, with several clothing stalls at the rear for the evening.
Toni Pickles, a Hove resident who has a retail outlet in Steyning, Get Waisted, opened the show with her fabulous Forties and Fifties inspired designs. Her collection featured bold, colourful designs – flattering dresses and elegant flowing gowns, with a wonderful wedding dress finale. She took the unusual and effective step of having the models wear identical bleach blond bob-cut wigs which gave a unique feel to the two runways.
Helen Hitchcock fronted the second part. She runs an NGO in Cobblestone Walk, Steyning – a cultural Indian charity The Gathering which sell traditional and everyday wear made in Jaipur, India. They work with educational projects in Goa and other states in India. Infectious Indian beats accompanied the sometimes dancing models onto stage in their dazzling and exotic finery, and the crowd loved it.
The third designer was seamstress and sewing teacher Wendy Allen, who runs classes in Southwick. She had managed to persuade her students to come on stage with their own clothing creations and once their nerves had settled everyone gave a good performance. Wendy is quite a character and highly motivational, getting the crowd clapping along with the music and encouraging her students along the catwalk.
Finally, Worthing based duo Style Me Confident, founded by Gay Richardson and co-run with Kate Henwood, dispensed fashion and accessorising advice to all assembled. The company offers a bespoke personal styling service for people of all shapes and sizes. Together with George clothing of Asda supermarket, they dressed four volunteer multiple sclerosis suffers on stage, who then gamely modelled the final clothing creations.
After the fashion show, presenter Guy Lloyd dispensed various raffle prizes including flower bouquets and food hampers donated by local businesses and some of the designers themselves.
The event was well supported by locals, who clearly enjoyed themselves, and it raised important awareness of multiple sclerosis and its sufferers, and more importantly, much needed funds.
THE SUSSEX MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS TREATMENT CENTRE
The Sussex Multiple Sclerosis Treatment Centre relies on volunteer help to keep it running, and is not Government or NHS funded. It provides help and treatment to anyone with a long term neurological condition and costs over £130,000 a year to run. Community donations and funding from event such as this are vital to keep this centre running. Visit their website below for more information and to donate.
DESIGNERS:
Get Waisted (Toni Pickles) : http://www.getwaisted.co.uk
The Gallery (Helen Hitchcock) : http://www.cobblestonewalksteyning.co.uk/page_3001791.html
Sew What Darling (Wendy Allen) : https://m.facebook.com/sewwhatdarling
Style Me Confident and ASDA (Gay Richardson and Kate Henwood) : http://www.stylemeconfident.co.uk
This was an amazing night. Thanks Andy for beautiful write up.
Well, such a fantastic event! I hope you all enjoyed it as much as we did!
And if anyone wants to see what we actually do in India, takea peek at helpingelsewhere.com
And as Toni says, great writeup Andy!