Light up a young person's Prom night - with the gift of pre-loved formal wear!

The hugely successful Prom Pop Up appeal is returning, to help ensure every young person can shine on prom night with an outfit of their dreams.

So whether you have formal wear cluttering your closet, or you just want to be someone’s fairy godmother, the Council’s Community Learning, Development and Employability Youth Services team are asking for a peedie sprinkle of Cinderella-style magic from the community once more.

Donations of dresses, suits, shirts, waistcoats, ties, jumpsuits, jackets, shoes and anything else that may make a young person feel pampered and dapper is being sought.

Last year, 36 young people benefitted from pre-loved formal wear, with almost 100 outfits kindly donated by members of the public.

Items can be dropped off to Lianne Taylor at the Youth Café, down St Magnus Lane, Kirkwall on Monday, Thursday, Friday 3.30-6pm or to Karen Bevan at Stromness Community Centre on Thursdays 4.30-7pm (6pm to 7pm over Easter break period).

Lianne Taylor is Area Youth & Family Learning Worker for Orkney Islands Council’s Community Learning Development & Employability Service and also a weel-kent face at the Youth Cafe which she manages:

“Orkney folk have really got behind the Prom Pop-Ups over the last two years, and with cost of living an ongoing issue for many local families we hope to see the same great level of support for this year’s appeal.

“Not only does it mean every young person can step out to their prom in style, it’s also reuse at its best - ensuring pre-loved and new outfits that maybe won’t get another outing from your closet can be put to use making a young person’s prom dream a reality.

“We’ve already started receiving donations as folk are just so keen to help out – we’d like to get as many donations as possible by 12 April, so we can start setting up shop!”

Pop Up fittings will take place in secondary schools this year, to make it easy for young folk to access – watch this space and school facebook pages for details on when and how students can book private time slots for choosing their outfits. The planned dates are:

• Stromness Academy Wednesday 17th April
• Kirkwall Grammar School Thursday 18th April.

To arrange drop offs of donations outwith the times above, please contact Karen or Lianne by email to make arrangements.