Ludlow fashion show heats up church funds
Dozens packed into clothes shop in Ludlow to look at the latest fashions and raise money for a nearby church in the process.
Staff from Edinburgh Woollen Mill at 35 Bullring held an evening summer fashion show in the store, with proceeds in aid of St. Andrew's Church in the village of Leysters.
Organiser Daphne Allen said: "It went very well, in the end we had quite a lot of people and we made about £340, which we were very happy with.
"They had to move all of their rails around to make room for the show and we also had a prize draw to raise a bit more money.
"It's not a regular thing, but I have done money raising events before this, usually for Cancer Research UK."
This time, she said the show was to raise money for the church in Leysters, between Tenbury Wells and Leominster, which desperately needed new heating to keep the ancient building warm and dry and make it more comfortable for parishioners.
"In fact they have put the new heating in the church but the cost of it has meant they were a bit short of money," Mrs Allen said.
"So now they have heating and the money to pay for it," she added.
The church dates back to the 12th century, when it was made of local sandstone rubble, though various parts of it have been updated since, with the chancel probably 13th century, its roof 17th century and the roof of the nave and various doorways and windows constructed in the 13th and 14th centuries. The south wall was rebuilt in the second half of the 19th century when the church was restored.
Edinburgh Woolen Mill in Ludlow sells a range of woolens and country wear and the branch has a long history of putting on fashion shows to raise money for good causes dating back many years.
