A packed Christ Church in Macclesfield hosted a memorable and inspiring Fashion Show during the recent Macclesfield Garden Festival. Organised by the Roe-naissance Trust to highlight how the church building can continue to be enjoyed by the community, this positive initiative was attended and supported by local MP, David Rutley.
The Fashion Show was held on Saturday 22nd June, with a theme of geography, travel and the natural world, showcasing sustainable fashion concepts from across the globe. Items being shown were created and in many cases modelled by students and designers from Macclesfield. In addition, a number of schools from Macclesfield and nearby communities took part in the show, with young people designing and making costumes from pre-loved goods from local charity shops, as well as recycled plastics, highlighting the urgent need to tackle climate change.
Ahead of the show, David - who wore a tie from the Silk Heritage Centre in support of the show's theme - said a few words to highlight the positive work of the Roe-naissance Trust in seeking to guarantee the future of Christ Church and to fully restoring this historic and architecturally significant building for use by the local community. He also praised all involved in supporting this important initiative, and thanked the Macclesfield Garden Festival Committee, for all its hard work and energy.
This was the third Macclesfield Garden Festival, running from Friday 21st June until Sunday 23rd June. As well as the Fashion Show, the Festival featured 13 spectacular gardens designed by local landscapers and gardeners, with a floral marquee with hands on creations for children. There was music throughout the weekend from local bands and ensembles, including Macclesfield Youth Brass Band and Macclesfield Samba Band. The Festival's theme was ‘Lets Celebrate Gardens, Design, Art And Nature’.
Speaking after the Festival, David said, "As this fun and entertaining event demonstrated, Christ Church can and should continue to play a key role in our town, bringing people together and celebrating the community. I will go on supporting the Roe-naissance Trust's important work in the months ahead. I extend my warmest thanks to all involved in progressing the aspirations of this excellent community initiative, as well as my congratulations to the young people who took part in the Fashion Show, for designing such an excellent range of costumes."