Elinor O'Neill, who recently wrote a guest post on bipolar disorder for this blog, spent 2010 engaged in a novel exercise to raise awareness of mental health issues. She wore a different dress every day of the year.All of the dresses she wore were donations, clothes from her own collection of frocks or loans from friends, family and kind strangers from as far away as the USA.
Now Elinor, who covered the project on her blog Lost in Notation, is auctioning off the dresses donated to the project to raise money for the national mental health charity Mind. The auction will be held on Saturday 7 May at the Oat Hill pub in Market Harborough.
Entry to the event, which starts at 4p.m., is free of charge and families are very welcome to attend the day which will take place in the gardens of the Oat Hill or inside the pub in Kettering Road should the heavens decide to open. Protheroes Motor Group in Northampton Road is sponsoring the event and the Oat Hill will be hosting the event free of charge.
All are welcome to the event which will include guest speakers, a barbecue and stalls with clothes, cakes and other goodies for sale.
Bidding will begin once buyers have had a chance to handle and try on the many dresses. All lots will start at £5 per dress.
Elinor tells me:
“It is going to be a really special evening and the collection of dresses is just fantastic.
“There is Prada and Primark, vintage and brand new, designer and high street. Every one of the dresses sold will help towards removing the stigma of mental illness.
“One of the things that pains me about mental health problems is the fact that there is so much help available out there and yet people are sometimes too anxious or ashamed to reach out for help.
“I picked Mind because they do so much work to try and end the stigma that surrounds mental illness. Their campaigns and the way they are trying to change people’s perceptions is something I am passionate about.“If you want to know more about this event, please email Elinor O'Neill.
I admire Elinor's courage, her post reminded me once again that so often we tread on other people's lives without thinking, but dresses are not my thing (but its great when they look good on the wearer). Best of luck with the auction.
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