NCH Fashion Show and Clothes Sale held at Verwood Methodist Church

Keen to repeat the successful and enjoyable Fashion Show and Clothes Sale held in October 2003 the NCH Regional Fundraiser contacted JAS Fashion Shows.

A date was booked for early Spring 2005 and preparations began by the local NCH committee. Posters were designed, models recruited. Ladies from the local Methodist Church volunteered and children involved with the church, all eager to strut their stuff on the catwalk!

JAS Fashion shows made contact to give guidance and support and Verwood Methodist Church staged its second JAS Fashion Show and Clothes Sale.

JAS Fashions arrived at the venue late afternoon.

This time it had been decided to stage the show in the church and a catwalk had been erected and chairs arranged. The clothes and selling area were to be in the two halls behind the church.

All the models arrived on time – the children had a treat of hot dogs for tea, all provided by the mums, as the lady models chose two outfits and what fun they had. Although JAS fashions do look out outfits for the models it is not until the models arrive that the outfits can be matched to the ladies. Even then the ladies have different ideas and JAS fashions do appreciate that their models have to feel happy and relaxed wearing the clothes – so after some swapping and changing the ladies were all sorted! All happy and comfortable in the clothes and ready for the catwalk!

The 15 children were excited – a few were ‘experienced’ from last year and there was a lot of chatter as to the outfits they wore last year and how much they had liked them. All models had two outfits each.

All too soon it was rehearsal time – ready for everyone to get a feel of the catwalk and learn how to strut their stuff! The compere arrived – Nicky – last year’s organiser and NCH area organiser. She had now left the NCH on a career move but was really pleased to be able to support this cause.

After the rehearsal, all the models left the church ready for their last minute preparations.

In the church foyer plenty was happening – more committee members had arrived to help with the refreshments and the draw. The audience was starting to arrive and at 7.30pm the show began.

What a show! Lots of smiling faces everywhere. From the models on the catwalk, to the smiles on the faces in the audience. The children bounced down the aisle, doing their turns and loving the feeling of being a star for the night. The audience enjoying seeing the clothes on their friends on the catwalk, seeing just a small selection of the clothes available to purchase after the show.

After the grand finale it was time for the audience to browse and buy. The bias cut skirt so well modelled by one of the ladies proved popular, as did the soft embroidered zipped fleece. One style of trousers modelled had been bought a few weeks ago by one member of the audience in a high street chain – how she wished she had bought it as the JAS Fashion Show price!

By 9.30pm the audience had departed, leaving JAS Fashions Shows and Clothes sale to pack away..

Everybody had enjoyed themselves and the NCH committee had organised another successful and profitable fundraising event.