Student fashion show raises funds for charity

Edinburgh College students organise fundraising fashion show for people with dementia

Edinburgh College events management students have staged a fashion show featuring people with dementia as models to raise funds for Alzheimer Scotland.

Service users, carers, staff and volunteers at the charity’s Fife Dementia Resource Centre in Kirkcaldy strutted the catwalk as models at the event, which was organised by a team of four college students -Sara Penn, Laura Presly, Zoe Fraser and Megan Fairley.

The team raised more than £700 for Alzheimer Scotland with the fashion show, which formed part of their coursework for their BA (Hons) Event Management. The four students named their project team Icon Events and organised the show with the support of their lecturers.

BHS, Wallis, Dorothy Perkins and New Look provided clothes for the fashion show, while a local salon donated handbags and accessories.

Edinburgh College events students have organised 37 events this year, each raising vital funds for a variety of charities.

Team member Sara suggested Alzheimer Scotland as their charity as she regularly volunteers at the Resource Centre alongside her mother and grandmother. Both Sara and Laura’s family members have been affected by the disease, which affects more than 86,000 people in Scotland.

Alzheimer Scotland’s deputy regional manager for Fife and the Forth Valley Anne Buchanan said: “This is a great example of inter-generational working and will help to raise awareness of dementia, as well as raising funds for us so we can continue to provide the range of activities, advice and support for people living with dementia and their friends, families and carers.”

Alzheimer Scotland is the leading dementia organisation in Scotland. The charity campaigns for the rights of people with dementia and their families, and provides an extensive range of innovative and personalised support services. The Fife Dementia Resource Centre provides information and support to carers and service users including drop-in information cafes and day care.

Edinburgh College offers a range of events management courses from introductory level to the BA (Hons) course, the last year of which is delivered by Queen Margaret University.  Applications are currently invited for these courses and more than 900 other courses across the curriculum offered by Edinburgh College and starting in August on its four campuses.

See www.edinburghcollege.ac.uk for more information on how to apply.