MANCHESTER BASED WHISPERING SMITH’S CHARITY SUPPORT

AN INSPIRATIONAL fashion show backed by Manchester-based business Whispering Smith has helped raise a staggering £75,000 for a charity helping people living with disabilities. 

The wholesale giant teamed up with the Friendship Circle to support them with their Be Beautiful, Be Yourself event which gave models with physical and learning difficulties the chance to grace the catwalk.

As well as providing outfits for the models taking part, we also donated £5,000 to assist the charity in its ongoing crusade to break down barriers and smash through stereotypes. 

Whispering Smith director Diane Heslop was among hundreds of guests who attended the show at the Hilton Suite in Prestwich which was filmed by the BBC. 

Diane said: “We were incredibly proud to support this event, and it was wonderful to be there to witness such an uplifting show.  Fashion and clothing should never be a barrier, and we have made sure to adapt our styles so that all of those taking to the catwalk can feel at their most confident. The work The Friendship Circle carries out across the region is fantastic and continues to help transform lives.”

Jo Bernstein, Fundraising Manager at the Friendship Circle, said: “Our charity is all about breaking barriers and smashing stereotypes, it may be through fashion, it may be through sports, or it may be via the hundreds of activities we run throughout the year.

“I have so much pride in our fabulous members, both those who were walking the catwalk and those  who were not. Our members are taught that self-confidence is the best outfit. We encourage them to rock it, own it and wear it with pride. Thanks to this fantastic fundraising total we will be able to continue to help people in the future.”

Those taking part in the event were following in the footsteps of fashion’s move towards greater visibility for disabled and visibly different models – a charge led by Britain’s Ellie Goldstein, the Down Syndrome model who has fronted campaigns for Gucci and Adidas.

Model Hannah Mendell, who was among those to take to the catwalk, said: “Yes, we’ve got disabilities, but that doesn’t mean that anything can hold us back or stop us and what we want to achieve in life. Before I came to the Friendship Circle, I had very little confidence. So to be on the catwalk was the most phenomenal experience.”

ENDS