The Journey of the Trash Fashion Show
In 1998 the Lions Club of Seaward Kaikoura held a Bridal Show with fourteen entries including a category for a recycled bridal gown. The Recycled Art Show began the following year. The name changed to The Recycled Trash Fashion Show in 2001. The Club has donated over $100,000 back into our community. Donations have been made to the Historical Society, Cancer Support, Kaikoura Memorial Hall, Coastguard, Mayfair Theatre, St John Ambulance, Kaikoura Hospital and Canterbury Westpac Air Rescue Trust. In 2016, we donated $13,000 to the Canterbury Westpac Air Rescue Trust. In 2018, show proceeds went to the Kaikoura St John new building project. The proceeds from the 2023 show went to various community groups including $5000 to the Takahanga Sports Facility.
Each and every show runs a different format with the category topics changing for each show. Over the years entries have come from Picton, Blenheim, Levin, Auckland, Christchurch and from local designers. Children are encouraged to enter for personal growth and confidence, and to develop their creative and practical skills.
As it has become a great community event and a very successful show, we continue with this project every two years. Each show becomes a new project. Within a specially appointed subcommittee we have new members taking on new responsibilities, new categories, new entrants, new judges and new sponsors. We are always trying to improve. It takes 18 months to plan, organise and run the event. The whole Club is involved. Closer to the show remaining members come on board to help out with the various jobs.
The Kaikoura District Council donates the Memorial Hall hire and printing of the programme. Tickets usually sell out for the Saturday night which is the Awards night and we also have a cheaper family show on the Friday night. Lots of families related to the younger entrants attend this show. On the Sunday, a static costume display is also held in the Memorial Hall for a gold coin entry.
Our township has Green Globe status and a zero waste philosophy so we are fortunate that our local recycling centre, Innovative Waste Kaikoura, came on board as a major sponsor in 2014 and are once again sponsoring us again this year. The project is also supported by other local sponsors who provide various prize monies. The Kaikoura Star helps advertise the event leading up to the show. A very successful raffle is run prior to the show and bar facilities is available on the Saturday night. This also increases profits! Overall, this fundraising has been wonderful and in the past has enabled us to make generous donations to our chosen community cause.
Show Contacts
Show Convenor:
Linda de Vine
Phone: 021 923 276
president.kkseaward@lionsclubs.org.nz
Sponsorship Enquiries:
Location
