People and Gardens Fashion Show At The Eden Project With Santander UK.

It's a week. A week since it all happened and every night since I've sat and started to write. Every night since, I've choked up when I've tried to form the words eloquently and ended up rambling on as usual. This time I wanted to tell you, and more-so show you, just what last weekend meant to a group of extraordinary people.

You all have heard me talk about nothing but People and Gardens for a little while now (go on, catch up here if you've missed it) and you're all totally aware that for the last few months I've been organising (alongside some lovely ladies) a fashion show and craft fayre to raise money for them.

Something that I don't know if I mentioned before is that I work for Santander UK.  I've always been nervous to talk about 'work stuff' online but I really can't contain my pride at working for a company that not only supports local charities and community interests but encourages their employees to get involved by matching how much an event, arranged by an employee, raises. How amazing is that?

This is how the day started...

Months and months of preparation had come to the actual day, we were all feeling pretty nervous. We knew we had an an amazing show planned with wonderful (and local!) designers and we knew that the ladies and gents at P&G would love it. But could we pull it off? Out of the four of us, Helen from P&G, Jess from Eden and towards the end I roped in my mum, not one of us had ever organised a fashion show of any kind. As more and more people started to flood through the doors, I ended up talking with a microphone to manoeuvre people!

Jess & Stacie before the show.

Before I start thanking people and reveal just how much we raised (Eeekk!), I just want to go back to why I've been choking up when I've tried to write this. Really I can only talk from my life with Bimble, and of course he's one of the reasons that I'm a bit teary. I'd been incredibly stressed all day, was feeling nervous about the success of the show and worried that it wouldn't raise as much as I'd hoped. 

Just as it started...

As I took his hand and we walked onto the catwalk, I watched him (worst model ever I know!) I couldn't help it, seeing his face light up at the 12 strong photographers and videographers at the end of the catwalk, made my heart just burst. Actually burst with happiness. Holding my hand tight, he strutted his stuff with a beaming smile, confidence oozing. (I definitely cried when we got offstage!)  It leads me on to my main reason for being so proud of last weekend; it wasn't just Bimble that gained something that night. I truly believe that every single person that stepped onto that stage from P&G gained the best gift they've had in a while. Confidence. To any of us, getting glammed up and people appreciating how great you look is just awesome, but imagine that on a much bigger scale. Huger scale in fact. On that note, take a look for yourselves...

Image sourced via Facebook David Presswell

Image sourced via Facebook Kristian Vanviere

Image sourced via Facebook David Presswell

Image sourced via Facebook David Presswell

Image sourced via Facebook Karen Nolan. 

Image sourced Via Facebook David Presswell (Bimble showing his
embarrassed by me face)

Beautiful isn't it?

Very quickly my face went from all the above to this >>(embracing the inner Spice Girl that I am, singing "When Two Become One"- Bimble must have been rubbing off on me.)

There really are so many people that helped us pull this off- I'll be damned if I remember them all. I'm so very sorry if I miss you out, please know that I'm eternally grateful for the hard work that everyone put in.

St Austell College arrived to do hair and makeup for us, they stayed and did an amazing hair presentation which was WILD but I can't seem to find a photo yet, there'll be plenty more added over the next couple of weeks!

Our fashion show was split into two parts; established Cornwall and Devon designers and Plymouth College of Art's second year fashion students showcasing their garments themed around Cornish heritage- a brilliant line up wouldn't you agree? Our interval also included a breathtaking performance from Cornwall Rock Choir! If you're looking for quality fashion that showcases some of the best talent in design that the south west has to offer, take a look at any of the designers below! 

Blossom Clothing Cornwall has the most beautiful knitwear and scarves!

Tamsin Poley Design is a fashion graduate with brilliant style.

Wednesday March has the most amazing retro dresses

Stacie Clark Knitwear is not only my best friend but also an innovative knitwear designer.

Denise Stracey has the most beautiful way of presenting clothes and accessories.

Earth Kind Originals made me fall in utter love with all of their earth friendly, sheek clothes.

Corinne Carr Designer Knitwear put together her looks like no other. Everything looked amazing.

Via Facebook Stacie Clark Designs

The evening was a total success, that when I woke from my coma the next morning, I was greeted with such wonderful messages from so many of you that the support for P&G has continually thrived throughout the last week. Including a very generous, charitable and snugly offer from Stacie Clark Knitwear for all of the proceeds from the sale of her delightful snoods going to People and Gardens! Perfect with Christmas coming up and as someone who wore one just last week (see below) I can highly recommend their quality and cosiness! 

I honestly could carry on telling you all about the evening with such depth that we'd be here all day! As I said, there will most certainly be a catch up post when we've received more images and the wonderful documentary by Tribe Magazine. Until then I leave you with two things;

1) In total that night, we raised £2541.69 and when this is matched by Santander, will be an outstanding total of £5083.38! I couldn't be prouder of the hard work and amazing support from everyone involved, it leaves me welling up all over again.

2) This smile on Bimble's face. Worth every moment.

Image sourced via Facebook David Presswell

Love Sophie Xx