Bagging the limelight
Children’s charity NCH’s Chief Executive, Clare Tickell, together with familiar TV celebrities will be strutting the catwalk at a fashion show wearing nothing other than bin bags. The fashion show, today, (October 27) at Tate Britain, aims to rubbish the practice of putting children’s possessions in bin bags when they leave care or move placements.
Clare’s outfit has been designed by leading fashion house, Frank Usher. Other designers contributing to “The Refuse Collection” include artist Gavin Turk, Abigail Fallis, and Mia, Damian Hirst’s partner as well as students from the London College of Fashion.
The creations will be modelled by celebrities such as "This Morning's" Anjula Mutanda, BBC2's "Mechanibals" presenter Louise Brady, Channel 4's "A Place in the Sun" presenter Amanda Lamb,
Sissy Rooney (from Big Brother 4) and chief executives from major UK charities.
The Fashion Show has been organised by A National Voice in partnership with Tate Britain, Barnardos and the Social Care Institute of Excellence. Lord Laming is confirmed to speak alongside Maria Eagle MP and the event will be attended by Ken Livingston, Mayor of London.
The practice of moving placements with personal belongings in bin bags is a very common complaint amongst young people in care. NCH runs a number of fostering and residential care projects and encourages Local Authorities or other agency social workers to follow the NCH practice of using suitcases when bringing a child into NCH care.
Clare Tickell, NCH Chief Executive, says: “For a young person, arriving at a placement can be a deeply emotional experience. Feelings of insecurity and apprehension are heightened if they feel they are being dumped with their belongings in a rubbish bag. The respect afforded by providing a suitcase is an indication of the whole approach to care and that the young person is valued.”
The fashion show will raise awareness of A National Voice’s ‘No Bin Bag’ charter, which directors of social services, Local Authorities and several national charities have signed up to, with the aim to implement an official no bin bag policy.
To get a copy of the Charter or for more info please contact
info@anationalvoice.org or visit
http://www.anationalvoice.org
adoption-net
