ReDressHunger

Aim

Ankosé CIC is transforming discarded clothing into stunning designer fashion, bringing creativity, sustainability and community together to

From Discarded to Designer – Fashion with a Purpose

Turning Unwanted Clothes into Hope, Dignity and Food for Families in Need

Our Story – More Than a Fashion Show

Imagine having to choose between feeding your children and paying your household bills. Imagine opening your cupboards and wondering how you are going to put the next meal on the table.

For a growing number of families across our communities, this is not an imaginary situation. It is their everyday reality.

At Ankosé CIC, we believe that no parent should have to face the heartbreak of being unable to feed their children, and no family should have to sacrifice its dignity simply because life has become financially overwhelming.

That belief is at the very heart of everything we do.

We are bringing together the worlds of fashion, sustainability, education and social responsibility to create something truly special: a fashion show that doesn't just celebrate beautiful clothes but helps change lives.

Our ambition is simple: to turn something that has been discarded into something extraordinary, and use that transformation to bring hope to families who desperately need our help.

The Idea – Giving Fashion a Second Life and Families a Fighting Chance

Every year, enormous quantities of perfectly usable clothing are discarded, while talented young designers are searching for opportunities to demonstrate their creativity.

At the same time, families within our communities are struggling to afford something as fundamental as nutritious food.

We saw an opportunity to connect these three challenges through one inspiring project.

Working with Jarrolds, the renowned Norwich department store, donated and unwanted clothing will be given a remarkable second life.

Second-year fashion design students will take these discarded materials and use their imagination, skills and creativity to transform them into unique, bespoke garments.

What was once considered unwanted will become something beautiful, desirable and valuable.

These extraordinary creations will then take centre stage at a special fashion show in 2027, celebrating emerging design talent while raising awareness and vital funds to help families experiencing food poverty.

But this is about much more than fashion.

Every garment will tell two stories: one of transformation and creativity, and another of compassion, opportunity and hope.

Our Vision – A Community Where Nobody Goes Hungry

Ankosé CIC was established with a fundamental belief: access to affordable, nutritious food should not be a privilege reserved for those who can comfortably afford it.

We are working to support social supermarkets, community food projects and local initiatives that help people struggling with the rising cost of living.

Unlike traditional emergency food provision, social supermarkets aim to give people greater choice, independence and dignity by making essential groceries available at significantly more affordable prices.

Our vision is to strengthen this network, helping more families access the food they need without the stigma that can accompany asking for help.

We want to create a community where parents no longer have to skip meals so their children can eat, where older people are not forced to choose between heating their homes and buying groceries, and where families facing difficult circumstances know that someone cares.

Food poverty is not simply about hunger. It is about dignity, health, opportunity and the right to live without the constant fear of not having enough.

This fashion show is our opportunity to bring that message to a much wider audience.

The Team – Different Talents, One Shared Purpose

The strength of this project lies in the extraordinary collaboration between people and organisations who believe that business, creativity and community can work together to achieve something meaningful.

Ankosé CIC is the driving force behind the initiative, bringing its commitment to tackling food poverty and supporting communities most in need.

Jarrolds is helping bring the concept to life through the donation of discarded clothing and materials, demonstrating how established businesses can contribute to a more sustainable and compassionate future.

Our second-year fashion design students are the creative heart of the project. They will take materials that others have rejected and transform them into imaginative, original garments worthy of the catwalk. For these emerging designers, this is an opportunity not only to showcase their talent but to see how their skills can make a genuine difference in people's lives.

Alongside them, we aim to bring together volunteers, local businesses, sponsors, supporters and members of the wider community, all united by one common goal.

We may come from different backgrounds, but we share one belief: when a community comes together, extraordinary things can happen.

How Your Support Will Change Lives

We want this fashion show to be the beginning of something much bigger than a single event.

The funds raised through our crowdfunding campaign will help us bring the show to life, showcase the students' work and, most importantly, support Ankosé's mission to improve access to affordable, nutritious food.

Our aim is to ensure that, after essential event costs, the funds generated can help strengthen food-support initiatives and social supermarkets serving families who are struggling.

Your support can help us:

• Make affordable, nutritious groceries more accessible to families facing financial hardship.

• Support community food initiatives and social supermarkets that provide choice and dignity.

• Give talented young fashion designers an opportunity to showcase their creativity while contributing to a worthwhile cause.

• Demonstrate how discarded clothing can be transformed into something valuable rather than becoming waste.

• Inspire more businesses and individuals to become part of a community-led response to food poverty.

We want to create a lasting legacy in which sustainability and social responsibility go hand in hand.

Because the true measure of this project's success will not simply be the beautiful garments on the catwalk or the applause at the end of the evening.

It will be the families who can put food on their tables, the parents who feel less alone and the communities that become stronger because people chose to care.

Why We Need You

We cannot do this alone.

Every donation, regardless of size, brings us closer to turning this vision into reality.

By supporting our campaign, you are not simply helping fund a fashion show. You are investing in young talent, reducing waste, strengthening communities and helping us tackle one of the most distressing challenges facing families today.

You are helping transform discarded clothing into beautiful designs, creativity into opportunity and generosity into something that can make a real difference.

We believe that no child should go hungry, no parent should feel helpless and no family should be forgotten.

A discarded garment deserves a second chance. So does a family facing hardship.

Help Us Turn Fashion into Food, Waste into Worth and Compassion into Action.

Support Ankosé CIC. Be part of the transformation. Together, we can make fashion mean so much more.

Funding method

Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made by 26th January 2027 at 3:10pm