Six young people aged 12-15 from Telford put sustainable fashion under the spotlight this weekend with a fundraising fashion show in aid of Barnardo’s, who are working in partnership with retailer Co-op to support positive futures for young people across the UK.
“This is an amazing opportunity,” said 15-year-old Caelan, from Wellington. “We had the idea to do a fashion show using only second-hand clothes from local charity shops, and the Barnardo’s staff made it happen. It’s been so much fun.”
Caelan is a regular attendee at CALM (Crafts, Activities, Life Skills and Mindfulness) - a free, weekly service provided by Co-op and Barnardo’s, in which young people from Telford and surrounding areas can receive support with their mental wellbeing, connect with opportunities for the future, and access basic necessities like food.
Attendees had the idea for a “sustainable fashion show” to prove that “second hand doesn’t mean second class”. Young people took to their local charity shops to source items, which they then customised with support from ‘With Love From’ - an initiative in Shropshire Libraries which breathes new life into second hand clothing to combat fast fashion.
On Saturday night [7th Feb] Telford residents walked the red carpet at Randlay Community Centre, before young “models” strutted their stuff down the makeshift catwalk to showcase six different fashion styles. Performances from the local dance troupe delighted during outfit changes.
Residents of the nearby Maples Care Home for the elderly were in attendance, with 87-year-old Patricia, a former Olympic dance teacher, praising the evening as a “wonderful occasion”.
For 12-year-old model Tiffany, the event was “just amazing”. She said: “Things like this don’t happen anywhere else. It’s been really fun. I feel so lucky to take part.”
CALM is one of 20 services across the UK set up by Co-op and Barnardo’s, after the partnership found that over a third of young people do not feel positive about their future.
Robyn Dunn, Co-op & Barnardo's Partnership Children’s Services Manager, said: “The young people have been incredible – coming up with the idea, organising invites and raffle prizes, and of course putting together all these fabulous looks! The initiative and dedication they’ve shown is really inspiring. It’s not easy to put yourself out there in front of a crowd like this, but we know what a positive impact it can have for their futures. We’re really grateful to everyone at Co-op who makes events like this possible.”
Dave Luckin, Head of Social Value & Community Engagement at Co-op, said: “Together with Barnardo’s, we’re committed to raising £7m to support positive futures for 1,000,000 young people across the UK. At Co-op, we believe that young people’s voices must be at the heart of shaping the solutions to the challenges they face. This is something our Co-op member-owners care about and co-operating to fix it is crucial. We’re very proud to hear of the impact that these services are already having on the lives of young people in Telford.”