Charity Catwalk Cash Handed to Hospiscare

FROM catwalks, to cash for charity - East Devon College (EDC) presented Hospiscare with money raised at a futuristic fashion parade held last month.

Students from the college studying Hairdressing, Beauty Therapy, Art & Design, Graphic Design and Catering joined forces to help raise £666.58 in their charity Catwalk Fashion Show, on June 22.

The event was in collaboration between the EDC, the Mid Devon Gazette, and the Tiverton Museum. The Gazette advertised for people to donate photos and costumes from the past 50 years to the museum. The museum then let college students use them to form inspiration for futuristic designs in the show called, The Future is in Our Hands. The museum will also be using the costumes in their own exhibition.

EDC's marketing officer Lindsay Rowe said: "The event is the result of many months of careful planning and hard work. The skills, creativity and expertise of all the students involved have been shown.

"The fashion show also forms a valuable assessment element of each student's course and portfolio - so it'll count towards their qualification."

Money raised will help Hospiscare meet its £3.8 million runninn cost it needs from people in Exeter and Mid Devon areas. Chairman of the local Hospicecare Support Group, Ken Lancaster, added: "Everybody will know we've just opened a day care centre in Tiverton, and to run our nursing service we're £20,000 short - this is a big leap in filling that hole in our funding.

"We're thankful for every penny we get - we appreciative the generosity of Tivertonians."

Art & Design lecturer Sam Bray has been guiding the students in making the futuristic fashions. She said: "This has been an eight week project for our students, and the final unit in the first year of their Art & Design National Diploma.

"They've loved it, and have really enjoyed it. A lot of hard work has paid off, and I'm extremely proud of them."

People have been donating photos and costumes to the Tiverton Museum, showing fashion throughout the past fifty years. Museum curator Judith Elsdon said: "The idea of a collaboraton started off very early from the Gazette last year. They got the public involved through advertising and stories in the newspaper. Then we collaborated with the college, and they borrowed some of the costumes to use as inspiration."

"The exhibition at the museum will be showing everyday costume from the past fifty years, and we'll also be showing some of the futuristic designs the students have made."

Gazette head of content, James Millar added: "It's nice to see the museum and college working together. The museum is a good local resource and as the newspaper is based in town, it's good for us to get amongst the community.

"For students to be working on their qualifications, whilst raising money for a worthy cause. and displaying their hard work in public makes it very worthwhile."

The museum's exhibition - Everyday Costume From The Last 50 Years - will be on display until October 3.