- 4 min read
- Published: 11th April 2018
Lorraine Keane brings together a host of Irish fashion, rugby and entertainment greats to launch fashion fundraiser of the year
TV presenter teams up with Oxfam Ireland to tackle overseas hunger crisis
Wednesday 11th April 2018
TV presenter Lorraine Keane teamed up with Irish fashion, rugby and entertainment stars Miriam O’Callaghan, Rob Kearney, Brent Pope, Glenda Gilson, Deborah Veale and Sarah Morrissey today to launch FASHION RELIEF – a fashion fundraiser extravaganza in aid of the hunger crisis overseas.
The event will take place in Dublin’s RDS on Sunday 13th May and will offer the public the unique opportunity to bag a bargain from the wardrobe of their style icon while raising vital funds for Oxfam Ireland’s hunger crisis appeal, providing life-saving aid to people facing starvation in East Africa and beyond.
FASHION RELIEF will showcase rail after rail of designer and premium clothes and accessories starting at just €5, with brand-new items from designers and retailers across the nation and pre-loved donations from the stars, including host Lorraine Keane, Oxfam Ireland ambassadors Andrew Trimble and Lorna Weightman as well as stars like Cillian Murphy, Miriam O’Callaghan, Brent Pope, Rozanna Purcell, Liam Cunningham, Yvonne Connolly, Kathryn Thomas, Aisling O’Loughlin, Nicky Byrne, TV3’s Xposé presenters and more.
Starting at 11am, many of the stalls will be staffed by the high-profile personalities who donated stock with models and celebs taking to the catwalk at 1pm and 3pm to showcase some of the coveted designer items on offer.
FASHION RELIEF attendees are invited to make a day of it by booking their place at an exclusive VIP After-party from 5pm at ICE, the luxurious bar inside the 5* InterContinental Hotel in Ballsbridge. For just €20, they can enjoy a glass of champagne and nibbles, unwinding after a day at the sale rails alongside Lorraine Keane and the fashion-savvy stars who made the event happen. Kindly sponsored by the InterContinental Hotel, every cent of the €20 will go to the hunger crisis appeal. Places are limited so booking is essential.
Host Lorraine Keane is calling on the Irish public to get involved: “Over the last eight years I have worked with a number of Irish and international charities and have seen first-hand the suffering of communities facing starvation. People are dying of hunger. How can millions of people dying from something preventable not be big news?
“It made me realise how much we all have – we have too much stuff – and that got me thinking about all the people I know who would happily part with a few pre-loved items if they knew it would save lives. So I started contacting others in the industry and, as I expected, they all agreed to help."
“Now I’m calling on the public to join us by donating their own pre-loved clothes and accessories for sale on the day or, better yet, volunteering to stock and staff their own stall at the event – why not get some friends together and make a day of it, unwinding at the VIP After-party in ICE at the InterContinental afterwards? Together we will make a difference. We will save lives.”
FASHION RELIEF is asking the public to donate any unwanted items in resalable condition and support the hunger crisis by following these simple steps:
- Bag up any pre-loved or brand new clothes, accessories or handbags – making sure they’re in good nick and ready for the sale rail.
- Clearly label the bag/box FASHION RELIEF.
- Drop the bag/box to the nearest Oxfam Ireland shop. Find out where at oxfamireland.org/shops
Those wanting to do more than donate, are encouraged to volunteer, helping to maximise funds raised on the day by supporting with logistics and staffing the stalls.
The event organisers are seeking volunteers on Saturday 12th May to assist in the set-up of FASHION RELIEF – a great opportunity to get a sneak peak of what will be on offer at the event the following day and reserve free entry – as well as on the day itself, Sunday 13th May.
The public can also get their office on board by organising a workplace clothes and accessories collection or a colleague's team building day volunteering at the event.
For more information on donating or volunteering or to book tickets for the sale and VIP After-party, visit www.fashionrelief.ie, call +353 (0) 1 672 7662 or email info@oxfamireland.org
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