Brides and grooms across the country are this month being asked to donate ‘something old’ for charity in the form of wedding outfits, as part of the first ever national wedding outfit amnesty.
Building on its established credentials as a dry cleaning specialist within the wedding industry, Johnson Cleaners has teamed up with The Wedding Wishing Well Foundation – which organises and funds weddings for people with terminal illnesses and life limiting conditions – to offer its dry cleaning services as well as to help raise awareness and much needed funds for the charity.
The UK’s leading dry cleaning provider is urging people to drop off their wedding dresses and suits, as well as bridesmaids’ outfits, at any of its stores nationwide; all items donated will either be used by prospective brides and grooms being supported by the charity or sold to raise funds for weddings organised by the charity.
The Wedding Wishing Well Foundation was set up in 2012 by wedding planner, Naomi Thomas, after she married her partner while suffering from secondary breast cancer; the start of the amnesty also marks Naomi’s first year wedding anniversary.
Talking about the amnesty, Naomi said: “We originally approached Johnson Cleaners to help support the charity through cleaning, as well as alterations and repairs to outfits that had already been donated; we were blown away when the team not only agreed to offer these services to us, but also developed a national campaign idea designed to get the whole country talking about the Foundation.
“We want to help create the perfect wedding day for as many people with terminal illnesses and life limiting conditions as possible and our partnership with Johnson Cleaners will have a huge impact on helping us to achieve this goal.
“Everyone deserves a magical wedding day and a donation to the amnesty could help make this dream a reality for the couples we work with.”
The partnership will see Johnson Cleaners altering and dry cleaning up to 10 outfits a week free of charge for the charity.
Paul Ogle, managing director of Johnson Cleaners, said: “We were captivated by Naomi’s story and the work the charity is doing within the UK, so we created a campaign that would enable people up and down the country to get involved.
“Whether you’re thinking about donating an outfit or you’re looking for an outfit yourself, we want to encourage people to support the amnesty in any way they can.”
Any outfits donated as part of the amnesty and not used by brides and grooms working with The Wedding Wishing Well Foundation will be sold at open day events due to be set up by the charity throughout the summer.
The amnesty begins today and runs throughout the remainder of the month.
For further information visit http://www.johnsoncleaners.co.