A great night was had by all who attended a charity fashion show in Fivemiletown, which has raised around £6,000 that will be divided between two important charities: NI Chest, Heart and Stroke, and Marie Curie.

The recent fashionable event was organised by Ballygawley hairdresser Jamie Houston, who wanted to give something back following the support she received after experiencing a stroke at the age of 30.

Last July, Jamie was on a night out with a friend, who began to notice something was not right, that Jamie’s movement and her face seemed different, that perhaps something was medically wrong.

She quickly contacted Jamie’s parents, and they rushed her to the South West Acute Hospital (SWAH) in Enniskillen.

Jamie was seen at the SWAH within two hours of having the stroke, which was crucial.

Following the stroke, it was one month before her speech came back, and three months before she felt out of the worst of it.

Having been asked by the Northern Ireland School of Modelling to be a hairdresser on a photoshoot in Majorca prior to her stroke, Jamie was determined to be well enough to go along, and with the support of Ann Connors, the founder of the organisation, she made it.

During the flight to Majorca, Jamie was sat beside Ann and as they chatted, she mentioned that she wanted to do something to give back to NI Chest, Heart and Stroke.

This was the start of the planning of the charity fashion show.

And so, more than 250 people attended the subsequent fashion show, which took place at The Valley Hotel in Fivemiletown on Friday, February 17.

Models from the NI School of Modelling, along with a number of local models, took to the catwalk in fashionable outfits from a range of shops and boutiques, including Top Notch, 1983, RoaleX Equestrian and Country Wear, Beyoutiful Dress Hire, New Look, Vogue and Klassy Kids Occasionwear.

The compere on the evening was Mary Daly. Following the fashion show, a beautiful supper was provided.

The organising committee are grateful for all the local businesses who supported the event and donated prizes for the raffle.

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