Thanet Community Dress Drive

Positive news stories can sometimes feel few and far between at the moment but thanks to Catryn Beynon, that just isn’t the case today!

When Catryn turned thirty, she jumped out of a plane and had always imagined that her fortieth birthday would bring something even more amazing. “I always thought when I turned forty I wanted to go somewhere to build schools, but COVID obviously put a stop to that”. Feeling reflective and desperate to do something that was going to make an impact on those who needed it most, Thanet Community Dress drive was born from an idea Catryn had after coming across influencer Tiffany Houghton via Instagram. Tiffany, a native of Texas in the USA, documented her journey to help those in her local community find their perfect prom dress despite the fact they might be going through financial hardship. From there Catryn then learned a friend of hers was hosting a similar event in Yorkshire. The sentiment had travelled across the Atlantic and it was in that moment she came to the realisation “If not me, WHO? If not now – WHEN?” and as they say, the rest is history!

What started as a simple post on social media has quickly turned into over 120 dresses, accessories and even a suit! Even with the huge success of the drive so far in such a short space of time, Catryn is hesitant to accept any credit! Even going so far as to keep it a secret from family and friends. This caused some confusion at home when partner, Andrew questioned the sudden, seemingly random delivery of said dresses!

With the help of friend Lisa, who is a regular support to disadvantaged families across Thanet, they have been able to organise drop off points at various locations. Making it even easier for you to get involved! The plan going forward is to source a location big enough to hold the event that is accessible to those who would need to travel via public transport. Prom attendees would be able to visit and check out their options (which will be organised by size for ease) and hopefully leave with their dress free of charge.

One of the reasons Catryn has been able to connect with the cause in such a beautiful way is that she still has really fond memories of  her own experience at prom! “My school Prom was 22 years ago – but I remember feeling great, and in my job I’ve witnessed how isolating living in financial hardship can be, I hope that by being able to support these young pupils to feel their best on what should be a celebration for all they’ve achieved and all that lies ahead – that they can not only feel great at their prom, but can see the true positive power of community, and know that we’ve all got their backs. That being hard-up doesn’t need to mean that they’re alone”.

However, there are also plans to expand the drive by offering hygiene and personal grooming products as well as cosmetics (so if you can help with this then don’t forget to have a look at the links included below).

Catryn and her humble attitude yet driven personality are exactly what makes the Thanet Community Dress Drive so special. If we can all take something from this it’s that we should all take more initiative when it comes to helping our local communities.

You can find out more about the Thanet Community Dress drive via the links below that will take you to their social media pages!

Thanet Community Dress Drive Facebook Page

Thanet Community Dress Drive Instagram Page

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