The Guildhall Shopping Centre and Stafford College students have joined forces to celebrate Adult Learners Week with a major new event.

Stafford’s largest retail destination will be opening at night for the only time this year on Thursday 18^th June to help young people host a fashion extravaganza, featuring students’ designs with fashion shows on the malls, and art and media displays in 6 of the Centre’s empty units.

Graphics design students will create flyers, posters and invitations for the event, while the catering department will produce refreshments for the 1000 expected guests. A team of carpenters, decorators, electricians and students have been working for a full 3 weeks to transform the empty shop units into stylish art galleries and for the special launch event a catwalk will be positioned on the shopping malls for fashion shows hosted by Year 2 and Year 3 Fashion and Design students.

There will be live music, dance and performance to keep everyone entertained, and at least 15 of the Centre’s retailers, including Top Shop, Poundland, Carbon and Kismet Rose, will open late to support the event.

Parking will be free after 5.30pm and the car park will stay open late until 9.30pm.

DTZ’s Senior Management Surveyor Steve Moran said: “We jumped at the chance to work with Stafford College on this as it gives us an opportunity to help young people and offers the community a unique opportunity to see the talented work produced by our local students.

“Putting together an event on this scale will be a great experience for everyone involved, but particularly for the students who will be able to use it to develop their skills and portfolios.”

The fashion shows will take place on 18^th June, between 6pm and 8.00pm, and repeated during the day on Saturday 20^th. The exhibitions in the empty units will run for the whole of Adult Learners Week (18^th-24^th June).

While the event is by invitation, the Centre will still be open for people to pass through.

1.     

Notes to editors

1.     Adult Learners Week is a national celebration of lifelong learning, which is now in its 24^th year. It’s the biggest event of its kind in England and has spawned many similar celebrations around the world.