New clothes bank means school's pupils can go to prom

The end-of-school prom is a modern rite of passage for pupils, but the current economic crisis means some might have to give it a miss because they can't afford that special gown or suit.

But Lawn Manor Academy now has a bank of formal clothes available to pupils who may not have the means to buy or hire their own outfits.

As a result of its successful pre-loved sale earlier this year, the school has already started to build a prom wardrobe, but now it is calling out to the community to donate more unwanted eveningwear to the cause.

Assistant headteacher, Marek Koza, explained: “Prom is a highlight of the year for our students, however many of our families are finding this year financially tougher than before.

"For many of our families, the cost of a prom dress could be the same as their monthly food budget and so we wanted to be able to alleviate some of this pressure by starting this selection of outfits that pupils could shop from for free.

“We held back some great pieces that were donated to our pre-loved sale and our staff are also raiding their own wardrobes too.

"We’d particularly welcome any more donations from our community, including evening dresses, suits, ties, shoes and bags.”

The school is expecting this year’s prom, hosted at the Doubletree by Hilton at the end of July, to be the biggest it's staged yet.

“We always aim to make the evening as memorable as possible, and Ms Rani, who’s in charge of organising the prom, always makes it a fabulous event,” Marek said.

“We provide food, a disco and an awards presentation with award categories that the children vote for themselves, including ‘most likely to be Prime Minister’ and ‘most likely to turn up late to their own wedding’!”

Donations of eveningwear and accessories in all sizes can be made direct to the school’s reception during school hours.