Ferry Project in Wisbech has designs on unusual fundraiser to help celebrate 25 years of helping the homeless
A charity dedicated to helping the homeless and vulnerable is celebrating its 25th anniversary and has designs on unusual competition to mark the occasion.
The Ferry Project in Wisbech is planning a fashion show in the spring and running alongside it is a fashion design competition aimed at highlighting the issue of rural homelessness.
The fashion show which will be held on the evening of March 26 at the Queen Mary Centre, sees a collaboration between Ferry Project and the College of West Anglia.
Anyone from the community is now invited to sign up to be sponsored by their friends to be a catwalk model on the night, with money raised going towards helping the homeless in the Fenland area through the work of the Ferry Project.
Anyone interested in being a model as well as doing some fundraising can sign up now on Justgiving.com.
Models will be given access to the Ferry Project’s donations hub, situated in the Queen Mary Centre.
The hub has many donated items suitable for helping someone to set up a home as well as lots of clothing.
The clothing can be repurposed or ‘jazzed-up’ or just worn as it is.
Models will also be given some training on how to walk down a catwalk with confidence by the LEADA drama club as well as having makeup and hairstyling provided on the night by the hair and beauty department from the college students.
Tickets for the fashion show will be available in the new year and will cost between £5 - £7.50, again with all proceeds going towards helping the homeless.
Alongside the fashion show, the Ferry Project has launched its competition which is open to any budding fashion designers in the local area.
The challenge is to design and create an item of clothing by repurposing a tent, as tents are one of the ways in which many homeless people create shelter for themselves when sleeping rough to help protect them against the elements.
The finalists' entries will be on display at the fashion show where there will also be a public vote for the best garment, and a winner will be announced as part of the show.
Tent competition entrants need to be under 21 and live within the Wisbech and King’s Lynn general areas. Tents will be provided and the winner will receive a voucher to the value of £50 with the runner-up receiving a voucher to the value of £25.
The first phase of the tent competition is to submit your proposed design by Friday, December 20 to matt.mcchlery@ferryproject.org.uk – so get designing.
Matt said: “We are already looking forward to a very fashionable start to 2025 and hope that many of you will come and show your support at the fashion show in March.”
A panel of judges will review all the proposed tent garments to shortlist the finalists who will then receive a tent to get sewing.
Entries/designs must be for an adult (large) coat or jacket and primarily (though not entirely) produced from the tent provided – but accessorising and embellishment is permitted but the core ‘substance’ of the outfit must be made from the tent material.
The finished articles need to be completed and delivered to the Queen Mary Centre by 5pm on Monday, March 6. These will then be on display at the fashion show so the public can then get voting for their favourite.
