Fashionistas enjoyed a night on the catwalk and raised more £1,000 for the Samaritans.

Tameside Rotary Club hosted a Fizz Charity Fashion Show at Westholme Masonic Hall, Mossley, in aid of the Samaritans helpline. 

The Samaritans was founded by a London vicar called Chad Varah in 1953, who, through counselling his parishioners, decided to be more specific and help people contemplating suicide. 

Chad took his first ever call on November 2, 1953, and was just ‘a man willing to listen.’ The Samaritans now has 22,000 volunteers.

The recent fundraising evening was packed with fashion items including accessories, a catwalk show, drinks, raffle and shopping. 

After two years of Covid and the eagerness for members of the public to book holidays, the fashion night was organised so that people could enjoy going out again and buying new clothes. 

President Angela Robbins said: “We sold out of tickets a week before the event which is wonderful for us. 

“There was a very happy atmosphere to the evening, and some ladies commented on how impressive Westholme Hall is in its architecture and stained glass windows. 

“Westholme is more than 100 years old and was purchased in 1967 by the Freemasons. 

“Our club is very grateful to Peter and Alison Adamson for allowing us to use the hall. 

“Fizz is a well known name and we are grateful to Maureen and Lorraine who put on such a great show which they do with immense professionalism after having decades of experience. 

“My sincere thanks to fashion show lead organiser Rotarian Su Greaves for all the work she put in ahead of and on the night itself. 

“We had a very supportive fashion show committee and we hope to have a similar event now yearly.” 

ON THE CATWALK: The fashion show at Westholme.

From the sale of tickets, the raffle and 10 per cent donated from Fizz from their profits, Tameside Rotary Club raised more £1,000 for the Samaritans.

Tameside Rotary was formed in November 2015, and has made a significant difference in the area, making annual donations of approximately £20K to local charitable causes. 

They are a friendly and informal, group meeting on the second Tuesday each month and, when possible, in different locations across Tameside.   

The group has more than 30 members, from all areas in the borough and membership is open to all persons. 

Locally they helped: Anthony Seddon Trust, Droylsden Food Bank, Home Start, Dogs Trust (Denton), PPE – local care homes, Greystones Refuge, Tameside Young Carers, Infinity Initiatives, Willow Wood Hospice and The Shed (Ashton).

Main image:

CASH BOOST: Vice President Mohammed Karim; hall chairman Peter Adamson; Rotary Family member; Rotarian and fashion show organiser Su Greaves; President Angela Robbins; Westholme’s Alison Adamson; President Angela’s mum Mary Ball; Rotary friend; Rotarian Julie Nield and President Elect’s wife Ferdousi Karim.

Read more from the Tameside Reporter

Click here for more of the latest news

Click here to read the latest edition of the paper online

Click here to find out where you can pick up a copy of the paper