Charity shop has huge prom dress collection for school leavers
Children’s Hospice South West's Honiton charity shop is offering students to chance to be the belle of the ball at their school prom without breaking the bank.
The shop in the High Street currently has around 40 second-hand dresses in stock, with prices starting at just £20.
Manager Lynne Whitehall recently advertised a collection of wedding dresses for sale and hopes that the prom dresses will be just as popular for students on a shoestring.
“Many girls will be thinking about buying their prom dress and they can be very expensive, especially at a time when lots of families are experiencing increased financial pressures,” said Lynne.
“But we have a huge rail of gorgeous pre-loved dresses at very reasonable prices.
I would encourage any school leaver looking for their perfect prom dress to pop in and take a look.
“We can cater for all sizes and all styles – short, long, vintage, Cinderella or even goth – there’s a bit of everything for everyone and it’s very unlikely there will be another girl at the prom wearing the same dress.
“Some have barely been worn and others are brand-new and still have their price tags on them. And if it doesn’t quite fit, there is always the option of getting it altered and it still costing just the fraction of the price of a new dress.”
Lynne said the shop’s recent wedding dress collection had proved very popular and she had already sold a couple of prom dresses to girls from Honiton Community College, and had also had calls from mums asking about prom dresses for their daughters. 
“If girls would like to come in with their mums and try them on after the shop has closed we’d be more than happy to open after hours – just pop in and say hello or give us a call.
“It’s a win-win situation as not only are you going to get yourself a beautiful dress, help the planet and save some money, you’ll also be helping Children’s Hospice South West to provide vital care for local children and families.”
Lynne said prom night was always a special night for students in the town and students usually gathered by St Paul’s church across the road from the shop before heading to the prom.
"There is always a fantastic array of dresses on show, as well as prom transport – including vintage cars, limousines, tractors and horses,” said Lynne.
The shop is open Monday to Saturday from 9am to 5pm, and Sunday from 10am to 4pm. For more information, call 01404 45593.