On July 12 a special dress drive and deconstruction day will be held at the Young Services Club from 10am until 4pm.

The day is being organised by Angel Gowns, a state offshoot of NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) Helping Hands Angel Gowns Australia, a newly founded national volunteer organisation.

The group collects donated wedding, formal and debutante dresses and lovingly handcraft them into angel gowns – gowns that are made for babies who are born sleeping or prematurely, as well as those infants who don’t survive an illness and don’t make it home from hospital.

The gowns are gifted to hospitals around Australia, each individually wrapped in a white box for them to be offered to families who have suffered the tragic loss of their child.

People who attend the dress drive and deconstruction day are able to see the gowns and wraps on display but people are being urged to bring along their wedding dress, formal or debutante gown.

Angel Gowns is also seeking donations of wedding and formal dresses as well as other much needed items such as sewing threas, 3mm and 6mm ribbon, lace (all in white, ivory, light pink and light blue), satin bias binding, decals that are suitable for both boy and girl angelic gowns, pins, pickers, sciccors and sewing machine needles.

They are also seeking volunteers to help with sewing, deconstructing and share administrative tasks.

Joy from Robynettes Fabrics has offered sewing lessons to those interested in wanting to become a seamstress for the Young team.

A raffle, supported by local businesses, is also being organised to help purchase material and to cover off postage which presently is being paid for by volunteers.  Keep an eye out for tickets.