A hospice is using professional models alongside volunteers plucked from its shops to sell vintage clothes.

It is hoped the photographs of the donated dresses and outfits will encourage shoppers to bid for them when they go online. The hospice in High Bank, Rochester, needs £2,000 a day to function.

The Friends of Wisdom Hospice organised the photo shoot in the garden of Restoration House in Rochester, once the home of the late Rod Hull of Emu fame.

Like many charities, its fundraising was drastically reduced during the coronavirus lockdowns.

The powerhouse behind the shoot, dubbed Wonderwall, was Sittingbourne model Jenilee Walmsley who reached the finals in the TV search for Britain's Next Top Model as Jenilee Harris before she married.

Last year she styled and posed in a few items from the shops but this year she teamed up with three other professional models, Brogan Alexander, Basil de Souza and Megan Coull, and four volunteers from the charity's three shops in Rochester, Chatham and Sittingbourne.

She said: "Working with the volunteers was amazing. They were all very patient despite the many outfit changes I made them do. The shoot was a long day but it was lovely to be able to pamper them with their hair and make-up. They took direction ever so well. The other three models and I were really impressed."

She added: "I gave them all a character and they took on their respective roles instantly, which was lovely to see."

The volunteers were Sue Turner, Pat Wade and Molly Johal from the charity's Chatham shop and Tina Henbest from the Rochester store. Trustee Andy Gray was also roped in.

John Hale-Brown, head of retail for the charity, said: "The theme of the shoot was Wonderwall which means anything which makes you happy or brightens your day. That's what our volunteers do.

"Some come in for a few hours and sort donations or hang a rail. They might think that's not a lot but it means we can run our shops, raise funds and allow our managers to have a moment of calm while they catch up with a cuppa. We couldn’t operate and be successful without them."

He added: "One of our volunteers absolutely hates having her picture taken but really wanted to be a part of the shoot. Another never wears make-up but she enjoyed having the experience of being all glammed up.

"Amazingly, Andy who is a trustee, agreed to do the shoot after coming straight off the back of running and walking the Canterbury Trails 67 miles at the weekend. All volunteers are genuinely superhuman."

Flowers for the shoot were provided by Raylee’s Flowers of Chatham and Moons Cakes and Bakes of Canterbury bakes a cake. The pictures were taken by Lisa Kennedy.

Most of the outfits will be available on the shops' eBay page.

The hospice provides specialist palliative care including a team in Medway Maritime Hospital funded primarily by the NHS with support from The Friends of the Wisdom Hospice.

The service includes 15 in-patient beds, bereavement support, advice and psychosocial and family support to patients and families. Staff also provide palliative care at home for 400 people - about 120 are Sittingbourne and Sheppey - as well as advice and support at a day therapy centre.

This Sunday is the charity's sixth Colour Me Purple 5k fun-run at Milton Creek Country Park, Sittingbourne.

Martyn Reeves, the chief executive of the Friends of Wisdom Hospice, said: “Now, more than ever, we need people’s support."

The run, which had to be cancelled last year because of the pandemic, is the hospice’s biggest single fundraiser and over the years has contributed £100,000 to the cause.

Mr Reeves said: "Runners get dusted with powdered paint. The effect looks fantastic.”

To cut down on congestion there will be a series of rolling starts beginning at 11am and the number of places has been pegged at 400. Past runs have topped 600.

Jenilee Harris came third in the television show Britain's Next Top Model back in 2006 when she was a shop girl in Sittingbourne's High Street Co-op store.

She saw the American version of the show and decided to apply for the British one.

Jenilee was one of 60 hopefuls out of 10,000 girls chosen for an interview and was among the final 12 to appear in the show.

Filming took her away for 10 weeks with trips to Paris and Milan. She modelled Liz Hurley swimwear in Harrods' window and had tea with owner Mohammed Al Fyad.

She appeared in nine of the 10 shows and received a portfolio of photos as a memento.

Her path to the Living TV show began with the Kent Messenger's Model Search competition the year before. Jenilee was then 20. She had grown up in Queenborough on Sheppey but was then living in Murston Road, Sittingbourne.

She said: "After I left Fulston Manor School I was in a rut and I didn't have any self confidence. Then my boyfriend Sean Walmsley entered me in the Kent Messenger competition. I came third. It was such a huge boost it gave me a taste for modelling."

When Living TV asked for entries it was her brother Kris who took her pictures.

She recalled: "I got a call to tell me I'd made it through to the second stage. After that, it was a three-minute video which my brother shot."

Two weeks later she was told she was through. "I just burst into tears," she said.

For more information visit www.fowh.org.uk

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