REDLANDS Community Centre are seeking donations to ensure no student is denied the experience to go to their year 12 formal.
In its first year, the Redlands Runway Project aims to help Redland families who are struggling to send their teenagers to costly end of year events with a focus on formal celebrations.
The centre is asking for gowns, suits, shoes and bags to be donated to Redlands Reform Church Hall on Delancey Street, Ormiston between 10am and 12pm on Tuesday and Thursday.
Hair, beauty and car hire services or discount vouchers are also needed.
Special projects consultant Rebecca Patterson said they wanted to lift the pressure off families and help students enjoy the once in a lifetime event.
“We have been in contact with schools across the Redlands who have put about 22 students forward for the project so far,” she said.
“We have been told that without this project, some families wouldn’t be able to send students to their formal while others would be scraping other essential things to have enough money to pay for the event.”
Ms Patterson conducted a poll in the Redland community and found students were paying an excess of $2,000 for one female to attend and pay for her make up and hair services and her attire.
She said she was pleased to see the influx of support they had received with the launch of the project this year.
“We launched an event where we had a parade and high tea to raise funds to help those families who need help,” she said.
“We had about 70 people, including local members and community people and raised $2500 for the cause.”
Ms Patterson said the next step was to collect pre-loved goods to host a shopping day with students to choose their suits, dresses and accessories who needed the items the most.
She urged the community to support the cause by donating before the end of next month.
Email SPW@redlandcommunitycentre.org for more information.