Cottoning on to charity with glamorous gifted gowns
A relocated bridalwear shop in Bloxwich is selling glamorous prom gowns while raising cash for charity.
Dragonflies Boutique is offering the clothing donated by a businesswoman who recently shut up shop, but wanted to see the items sold in aid of good causes.
Owner Carol Watts moved the expanded operation from its previous home in Cannock to the current base opposite Bloxwich Leisure Centre.
There are 18 of the 30 donated gowns left.
Mrs Watts says: "We expanded to here from Cannock in the new year.
"We sold prom, pageant and evening gowns, but when we moved to Bloxwich we took over the unit previously occupied by the Wedding Box bridal shop that closed about two years ago."
She was then contacted by Lichfield-based wedding planner Jane Dayus-Hinch who wanted to know if she could take 30 gowns from a Worcester store that had closed.
The proprietor Christine Ann, a well-known bridal boutique owner, wanted to donate them for charitable trusts to benefit.
Ms Watts said: "We have 18 left from the stock of 30 gowns.
"We have set up a dedicated floor area for them here. We also have our normal stock for shoppers to check out.
"We also want to promote the fact that we have got these fabulous dresses on sale here. We opened here on January 3 and we have had an amazing response so far.
"Customers have followed us from Cannock and local people from Bloxwich have also been coming in. It's going amazingly well and we have been overwhelmed by custom."
The family business was launched three years ago.
Ms Watts has had help from stepdaughter Hannah, 24, while her daughter Jess, 19, the Bloxwich Carnival Princess in 2010, also lends a hand.
Proceeds from the sale of the outfits will be split between BBC Children In Need and the British Heart Foundation.
