Paternoster House care home models show off spring clothing from Cirencester's Edinburgh Woollen Mill

The fashion models, which included care home residents, staff, family members and volunteers, showcased spring clothing supplied by Edinburgh Woollen Mill’s Cirencester store.

The show, on Thursday, April 28, also featured a raffle draw with prizes donated by local businesses.

Event organiser and care home activity co-ordinator Sharon Dewsbury said: “We do not raise a lot from this show. It is more for the residents to get pampered with manicures and makeovers. It also lets the community know that we are here.”

Care home resident and model, Ann Skinley, said of the event: “It is fun and exciting. I’m doing it mainly for my two boys, one is also a model.”

Model Barbara Gardiner also said: “I think it is good to do this because people can come and see what goes on here. This is a lovely place and whatever is going on here, I will join.”

Barbara, who wore a smart green and white three piece suit, and a t-shirt and trousers for her casual outfit, added: “I’m quite pleased with my outfits. I’m also walking down with a handsome young man,” she chuckled.

Michelle Poole, one of the volunteer beauticians and owner of the mobile beautician business ‘Gemini Beauty’, said: “Why not come out and have a bit of fun and make the ladies feel glamorous and pretty?

“I like to ask the ladies what their favourite colours were when they were younger. One model said she liked a red rouge for the boys when she was young!”

(Models of the show: Ruth Habgood, Alison Poole, Barbara Gardiner, Nick Skinley, Margaret Painter, Reece Kewley, Cissy Griffin and Tessa Pitt; photo: Dawn Ballard Photography)

It is the second year that the care home have organised the fashion show, but this year, there has been additional help from army volunteer Reece Kewley, who was also a model.

Reece, of the 29th regiment in South Cerney, helped the care home advertise the event and sell tickets, organise beauticians, and organise donations from local businesses for raffle prizes.

He said: “I was very honoured to be asked to take part in the show. I thought, why not? It would be a bit of a laugh.

“I’m wearing a tweed jacket and a waistcoat. I’ve never worn tweed before.

“Support from the community has been absolutely fantastic, especially from local businesses and from the beauticians.

“I made my first visit to the care home just before Christmas. Five of us from the army came down to have tea and a chat.

“The residents here were very cheery, and I wanted to carry on volunteering.”

Reece will be organising volunteers from his squadron to build pavings around the care home’s sensory garden. The project is hoped to be complete in the next week or two.

The care home has also had support from members of the community like Cirencester woodworker Rob Johnston, who recently made and donated a bench to be placed in the sensory garden.