For 27 years, Suzanne Lovegrove has been part of school committees, raising funds and supporting families. As Chair of the Chiltern Edge School Association (CESA) at Maiden Erlegh Chiltern Edge School for the past seven years, she has helped lead many projects – but one in particular has captured the community’s imagination: the Prom Dress and Suit Sales.

What began with a small collection of donated outfits has grown into one of the most anticipated events in the school calendar. The Prom Dress and Suit Sales now showcase more than 300 dresses and 40 suits, with families travelling from far and wide to take part. Students come for all kinds of reasons – some to find an affordable or sustainable choice, others simply to enjoy the buzz of the event. With fitting rooms set up and a welcoming atmosphere created by Suzanne and her team, the sales have become a celebration that brings people together. At the same time, no one is excluded because of cost. “Being a teenager is hard enough without not being able to get the dress or suit and fit in,” Suzanne explains.

The impact is clear. Suzanne remembers families who arrived with heavy hearts and left with joy. One grandmother travelled from Newbury with her granddaughter after seeing the project online. “The first thing she did was hug me and say thank you. Her granddaughter was glowing as she tried on dresses. There wasn’t a dry eye in the place,” Suzanne recalls. Another mother, recently bereaved, came from London unsure how she could make prom possible for her daughter, and left knowing she could. Each story adds to the sense of shared celebration that has grown up around the sales.

“The first thing she did was hug me and say thank you. Her granddaughter was glowing as she tried on dresses. There wasn’t a dry eye in the place.”

The community effort makes it possible. Donations keep flowing in, and prices are adapted when needed, ranging from £5 to £50. Half of the proceeds are reinvested into buying new stock, while the other half supports CESA projects for Maiden Erlegh Chiltern Edge School. The school itself has been instrumental, providing a terrapin space to store and run the events and making it possible for the sales to grow.

Looking ahead, Suzanne and her team want to continue growing the project. A fashion show and sale are planned for January, and the goal is to invite students from other Maiden Erlegh Trust schools so more young people can take part. For Suzanne, the success lies not just in the clothes but in the community that surrounds them. “It’s an absolute pleasure to do our sales,” she says. “I couldn’t do this without my CESA team. We’re looking forward to getting bigger and better.”