About Us

Dress2Impress was born from a simple but powerful realisation: prom - a night meant to celebrate achievement and friendship - had become out of reach for too many. When we saw our friends facing costs of up to £1,000 just to take part, we knew something had to change.

In September 2024, we began planning. With little money and just an idea, it was daunting. At first, even finding suits and dresses seemed impossible. But instead of giving up, we reached out to our community — and they reached back. People donated, businesses supported us, and slowly but surely, Dress2Impress became real.

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By March, we were standing in our first pop-up prom event. Around 40 students came through the doors, browsing a range of dresses and suits provided with the help of partners like Fenwicks and St Leonard’s Hospice. Watching the smiles on their faces as they realised prom could finally be affordable was a moment we’ll never forget.

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The journey hasn’t been easy. We’ve spent evenings running raffles, attending school open nights, and spreading the word any way we could. But every challenge reminded us why we started - to make prom a night of joy, not stress.

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In just our first year, we’ve already helped dozens of students save hundreds of pounds, and in September 2025 we were honoured to win the York Community Pride Award. To be recognised so early on was surreal - and it fuelled our determination to go even further.

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The future is bright. In the coming weeks, we’ll be opening our project shop inside Huntington School, giving students a space to visit us any time. And this is just the beginning. Our dream is for Dress2Impress to grow beyond one school — so that students across York and beyond can feel included, supported, and celebrated on their prom night.

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Because no young person should miss out on memories that last a lifetime.