Just before the end of last term, Sense College Loughborough held their first ever Upcycling Fashion Show, exhibiting a number of items that had been made by staff and students at the college.

The idea to hold a fashion show was born from a task set to two of the college's Vocational students by their Occupational Therapist. As a way to develop their fine motor skills, the students were asked to change an old item into something else, through cutting and sewing. After a conversation with the Vocational Pathway Leader, the students decided to hold the fashion show to coincide with National Upcycling Day on 24 June.

The Upcycling Show was a great opportunity for staff and students to have a go at repurposing old items, and to raise awareness of the importance of reducing our waste. This ethos has been particularly important at Sense College Loughborough due to the opening of the Green Shop, whose aim is to reduce, reuse and recycle!

On the day, the clothes that had been upcycled were modelled by students and staff. This included a button-up shirt that had been turned into a bardot blouse, an old hoodie converted into a waistcoat, and a pair of jeans that had been given a new life as a handbag! After the show, all of the items were available to purchase, priced between £1.50 and £3.50 per item, and most of them were sold!