A MANEA bridal shop is launching an appeal for wedding dresses to send to brides in Zambia.
Sue Lovell from Savvy Cinderella which is run from Charlemont Drive, has teamed up with HIV and AIDS charity ASAP (AIDS Support Awareness Project), which is in the process of helping to set up a bridal hire business in the African country, run by for
mer sex workers.
Sue said the shop will be donating its ex-hire dresses when they reach the end of their rental life and is urging others to consider doing the same.
"This wonderful charity has really struck a chord, as it enables brides-to-be, who have nothing, look and feel very special on their wedding day. Every bride deserves that.
"The brides in Zambia are not worried about fashion or wedding trends, they just want to have a lovely dress on their special day," Sue said.
Abi Parker from ASAP is hoping to come to Manea next month and Sue said it would be lovely to have something to give her.
Abi is hoping the people of Fenland will be generous, but she knows people get attached to their dresses.
She set up ASAP in 2006 after returning from Zimbabwe. The charity makes linguistically correct DVDs to make people in remote rural areas aware of the issues of HIV and AIDS, as many people there do not speak English.
Abi has also been working with a local group called Tasintha, which works with sex workers, re-skilling them so they can gain an income outside of prostitution.
She said the idea for the wedding dresses came about when Evans, who runs a sewing workshop for her in Mfuwe, asked her to get him a dress for his fiancee.
Abi said when she took the dress, the reaction to it was overwhelming.
"I realised it is every African women's dream to be married in a traditional western dress," she said.
"We also have a need to generate an income to keep the projects going, so the idea of a bridal hire business staffed by the sex workers was born. We hope with further donations to be able to expand and set up in other parts of the country."
Abi said when she last heard from Zambia, a premises for the business had been found, so she is looking forward to seeing what has been achieved when she goes out there in February.
If you have a wedding dress you would like to donate call Sue on 01354-688138.
