About Us

The Project was started in May 2009.

Heidi's daughter had come home following a Prom Roadshow at her school and had her heart set on a dress which was £200. It was one of the cheapest dresses that was at the roadshow, but Heidi's heart sank. There was no way she could afford the dress that her daughter wanted. Heidi was struggling to find work, she had no money to spare. Even finding the money for the ticket was difficult. Spending £200 on her daughters dream dress was out of the question.

Heidi's friend Sarah had a very similar dress that she had worn as a bridesmaid and it soon became apparant that there was a very simple solution to Heidi's problem.

Both Jan and Heidi quickly began discussing the possibilities of doing this for other students. Surely, it was too late to start something this ambitious? It was very near to Prom Season. We were both big fans of freecycle and thought we could source a few dresses through them. We did and Jan began Planning a launch for 2010.

Sadly, Donna Mitchell, a friend of Heidi's and a glamourous local mum passed away in a car accident and Heidi and Jan decided to would start the project a year earlier than planned as a tribute to Donna. Donna would have loved the project. She was a beautiful, loving and vibrant woman and she gave us the inspiration and strength we needed to start this project.

Jan set up a little website and started pestering local business and individuals and was suprised at the positive response and support that was building.

Heidi began sourcing dresses, shoes, tiara's bags and accessories and set her OCD to good use with the sorting, cleaning and storing of dresses.

By the time we launched in May 2009 we had on board some fantastic supporters from VW Splitscreen Hire vehicles to Hair and Beauty professionals all willing to provide their services for free to girls that the project was supporting. We had also been donated around 15 dresses by a local bridal shop.

We didn't have too many girls, so the girls we had were rather pampered - They didn't object. From Spray Tans and make up to an array of super vehicles to transport them to their prom.

Some of them would have missed out on their prom completely and it was simply magical to see them transformed.

We were all struck by not only the visual transformation, but by the sudden confidence and newly adopted poise and style.

We had a wonderful time.

Suzanne Savil The local features writer for the Bristol Evening Post called us "fairy godmothers". While Heidi, Bristol's "Hardest" fairy godmother loved the reference - It took Jan a little while longer to embrace the role.

There is no denying that the Fairy Godmother Principle is hard at work in the Bristol Prom Project.

We were contacted by a wonderful woman in Bridgwater, Lynne who was determined to run a Prom Project for the students of Bridgwater who were missing out and Lynne became our third "Fairy Godmother" she had the experience we needed to help us set up as a charity or community group and was happy to be a big part of the Bristol Prom Project too.

We were thrilled. Lynne quickly became so important to us and to the project. Lynne was simply one of the nicest and most inspirational people I have ever met. Lynne tragically passed in December 2009. We are devastated to have lost her, and that she never got the chance to see the first Bridgwater Prom Season. We are determined to help the organisation she worked for make sure Lynnes dreams come true for Bridgwaters school leavers.

The project continues and we and we are looking for sponsors and supporters as well as local businesses who can support our work and help us make sure that girls have the opportunity to attend their prom with style and confidence.

The project loans out dresses to girls who may otherwise miss out on their prom for a small cleaning fee (£5) and an optional donation to the project.

We think that our project is the first of its kind in the UK.

We have recently been joined by two new fairy godmothers - Paula Daly, the woman behind Mouse to Minx and Lisa Bryant, a Marketing Executive and Prom Devotee.

Val our fairy godmother from iCandy Nails and Beauty has supported us over the last year and and her wonderful salon acts as a drop off point for our dress donations.

Heidi with Anita and Val

“The only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn, like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars and in the middle you see the blue centerlight pop and everybody goes "Awww!”

- Jack Kerouac

Click here for our First Evening Post feature which tells the Bristol Prom Project's very first "Cinderella Story".

All School leavers should have the opportunity to attend their prom with confidence and in style. School leavers from homes where money is short should have no less right to the experience than anyone else.