Chesterfield pub to host wedding dress fair with bridal gowns at bargain prices

The Sun Inn on West Bars has joined forces with Next for the charity fundraiser on April 16.

Fair organiser Jane Bingham, who works as people development manager at Next, said: “As I’m getting married and know how expensive everything is I asked if I could do a fundraiser with Next so ladies could get a gown for £20. Next and their supplies have donated approximately 100 wedding dresses to be sold off. These dresses are from old ranges or may be a slight second but we are hoping to offer them at between £20 and £30 each, helping people to maybe afford their wedding in these difficult times.”

All proceeds from the fair will go to the Motor Neurone Disease Association. Jane, who hopes to raise at least £1,500 during the afternoon, said: “I chose motor neurone as my friend’s daughter has it and she is a young mum.”

Daneil Denton, landlord at The Sun Inn, said: “The wedding dresses are really nice and still have the price tags on them. It’s going to be like a wedding day in the pub. We’ve got wedding cake makers, a make-up artist, a DJ and someone who will set a bridal bouquet in resin so that you can keep it forever."

The fair, running from 12 noon until 5pm on April 16, will include stalls featuring wedding cakes, cupcakes and flowers and there will be a raffle with prizes donated by local companies. Volunteers from Next and The Sun Inn will man the event.

Ahead of the fair, Daniel put a call out for people to model the dresses for a photoshoot. The models included Donna Bradley who works in the pub, Danielle Reed, a customer, and three performance arts students from Chesterfield College. Daniel said: “There were 20 dresses for the girls to choose from – I put them all into one room and said: ‘here are the wedding dresses – cat-fight amongst yourselves’!”

During the run-up to Chrismas last year The Sun Inn partnered with Next to provide 200 selection boxes for charities, the football club and Kids Planet. The pub also set up a Santa’s grotto at the front door and handed out selection boxes and mince pies to passers-by.

An Easter egg appeal by the pub will see proceeds going to Chesterfield Food Bank, a children’s home and Kids Planet, after 300 chocolate treats were presented to good causes last year. Daniel, who has been landlord at The Sun Inn for three years, said: “I am constantly on the go with things.”