CONFUSION surrounds the development of "much needed" affordable housing, as demolition signs have gone up after a deal with contractors fell through.

Wandle Housing Association is in charge of building the 34 affordable homes in 447 Brighton Road between South Croydon and Purley. Despite work starting in 2010 and an estimated completion time of 40 weeks, the development is still nowhere near finished and has already cost £3 million.

The delay has prompted critics to compare the site to the IYLO tower – the abandoned development in central Croydon – and demand an investigation.

"Building work on the site has been delayed but is now expected to be completed in summer 2014," said a Wandle spokesman.

The housing association denied the development was being demolished, despite the signs put up on the hoardings.

Instead, they claimed the building would be "stripped back" in order "to enable a full assessment to take place" and "ensure both safety and the quality of the development".

The spokesman said Wandle could not know how much over budget the block would be until the assessment had been made.

The association's head of asset investment, Gary Bellenger, admitted the development had run into "significant issues" which had "delayed the scheme" but declined to go into details because it was "commercially sensitive".

According to one of the site's workmen, the building was originally contracted to GD City Holdings but is now being taken over by Mansell.

In county court records, GD City Holdings was still registered on August 23 as owing £2,449 to a company.

A Wandle spokesman later admitted that the contractor has now gone bust.

The housing association said it was given a £4.3 million grant by the Greater London Authority but declined to say how much GD City Holdings had been paid or how much Mansell had been hired for, because of "legal and commercial reasons".

Labour's shadow cabinet member for housing, Alison Butler, said something had gone "drastically wrong" and called for an investigation into the matter.

"These are much-needed apartments which people are desperate for in Croydon – developed with public money," she said.

"There is no need in this circumstance for secrecy and 'commercial sensitivity' is often used as an excuse for being untransparent."

In the planning application submitted in 2008 – refused in 2009 and then granted on appeal by the Planning Inspectorate – the site was meant to be 50 per cent affordable.

Around 35 per cent of this would be socially rented and the other 15 would be intermediate – provided through a Section 106 attached to the development.

The scheme is also contracted to pay the council £15,000 for an off-site public space, £28,000 to sustainable transport and £680 towards libraries.

A MOTHER with debilitating mental health problems has credited a Purley support centre with saving her life.

Sarah Jane Thomas, of Beulah Grove, Thornton Heath, spoke to the Advertiser about living with schizophrenia and the support she receives from the Purley Resource Centre.

She said: "I am not being dramatic when I say the centre has saved my life on a number of occasions.

"I have frequent periods where I am suicidal and there is no getting out of the cycle. It's like falling and falling – and then they are there to catch me."

Ms Thomas had her first psychotic episode in 1997 while she was still working, and gradually became more ill.

She moved to the Purley centre in Pampisford Road in 2011, after suffering bad experiences with previous support centres.

"I've been with them for two years now I can't tell you what the care is like," she said.

"They go above and beyond what they need to do all the time.

"I have been so ill in the past I have lain down in the middle of the road – I don't know what I'm thinking or doing. At one point, I even thought I could fly.

"These are the things the centre saves me from by trying to prevent me getting in that state.

"It's like living in your worst nightmare – you see, hear and smell things that aren't there – and it's terrifying because you think you can never escape.

"People often don't take mental illness seriously but it really is not something to joke about."

Ms Thomas suffers from schizoaffective disorder which is characterised by bouts of psychosis and extreme mood swings, meaning she has not been able to work for more than a decade.

The centre is part of the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust which specialises in mental health.

"Everyone complains about the NHS or are worried that parts of it will be cut, especially the social care side.

"I can only say how wonderful it is at the centre and it fills me with dread to hear people say budgets need to be cut.

"I had a crisis this morning, another cycle breakdown and my psychiatrist was there immediately at the end of the phone to talk me down.

"He told me I was doing well despite it. It's difficult to explain how important that is – it's now so foreign for people to be nice to me."

If you have mental health problems and are seeking support, call the centre on 020 3228 5400.

PONTINS has apologised to a family whose holiday from hell ended with a bang – when a toy they bought from an on-site shop "exploded" in their baby's hand.

When Tania Savory and her partner Martin Pitchley returned home from ten disastrous days at Camber Sands Holiday Park in Eastbourne they thought their summer could not get any worse.

The couple were already fuming at having spent £2,000 on a break in which nothing went right.

The one memento they did have was a flashing toy microphone their one-year-old Abbi Savory had taken a shine to.

But a week after their holiday had finished, Abbi was playing with the toy in the living room of her family home in Croydon when her parents say it broke and starting leaking battery acid.

Her mum and dad, who had already lodged a formal complaint with Pontins about their holiday, contacted trading standards officers who are now investigating the incident.

Tania said: "All of a sudden I've heard a bang - like someone loudly clapping. The toy had exploded in Abbi's hand.

"I went straight to her to make sure she was all right.

"When I looked at the toy the plastic had cracked and all the acid had come out of the batteries.

"I was horrified. If she was holding the end where it had happened she would have been hurt. Luckily she was just stunned."

The incident capped a miserable fortnight for Tania, 37, and Martin, 45, who had taken Abbi, Ellie, 6, Kyle, 13, Kirstie, 16, and their disabled 78-year-old grandfather to Eastbourne for what they hoped would be a pleasant family holiday.

Instead on arrival they found a catalogue of problems.

The lock to the bathroom door of their flat was broken, water was leaking from the shower unit and the tiles were covered in mould. The living room and kitchen were "filthy".

"The apartment was in an abysmal state," said Martin, who took dozens of photos of the dilapidated site.

Conditions were no better outside the flat. A wooden handrail on a nearby stairwell was rotten and falling away and the catering facilities were a "shambles".

"On the days we felt brave enough to use it there were no trays or bowls for starters, and often no cutlery," said Mr Pitchley. "The serving area got into a state very quickly, with cereal spilt all over the counter. Sometimes when we arrived the tables were covered in half-eaten food."

Mr Pitchley spent more than £2,000 on the holiday, including booking fee, petrol for two cars, ten-day boarding costs for cats and a parrot, the hire of a mobility scooter and food.

He said: "I was really disappointed. I felt so cheated out of the money I had paid for what I thought would be a nice family holiday.

"Every member of my family had a miserable time and could not wait to return home. Even when we got back we were given a reminder of a holiday we can't wait to forget."

Phil Martin, manager of Pontins Camber Sands, said: "We have been in the business for 60 years now, providing good value for money family holidays.

"It is the middle of the summer and was extremely busy when the gentleman came, though that's no excuse for some of the photographs he has got."

Asked whether Pontins would apologise, Mr Martin added: "Yes, absolutely. Obviously, we want all the guests who come to us to have a really good time. We're very sorry that hasn't happened and we will be sorting things out with him.

"We're in the middle of dealing with his complaint and we will be offering something by way of compensation."

A spokesperson for East Sussex County Council said its Trading Standards team are investigating the family's complaints and had contacted Pontins about the toy.

A TOP council boss on a temporary contract is being paid the equivalent of £242,666 a year, records show.

Paul Spooner, the interim executive director of planning and environment at Croydon Council, joined in February 18 and was paid £28,000 between then and when the accounts were audited on March 31.

Mr Spooner's salary is around 25 per cent more pro-rata than the next-best paid officer, Nathan Elvery. When asked about this a spokesman said: "We do not feel we need to explain the decision."

In total, 15 other council employees are being paid more than £100,000, down from 21 the year before.

Mr Elvery, who took up the post of interim chief executive in March, was paid £191,051 in 2012/13 – up from £189,214 the year before when he was executive director of corporate resources and customer services.

Jon Rouse, the council's chief executive who left on March 10 this year was paid £198,260.

Paul Greenhalgh, the executive director of children, families and learning was paid £169,107, the same as the year before while Hannah Miller, the deputy chief executive and executive director of adult services, health and housing was paid £153,583 for 2012/13, down from £189,214.

A council spokesman said: "The reduction in the number of people taking home over £100,000 is the result of a combination of the deletion of two senior posts – the director of Step Change Croydon and one head teacher – as well as people changing jobs during the year and the removal of chief officer allowances for new appointments."

Laurie Pocock, secretary of the Croydon branch of the union Unison, told the Advertiser: "The problem we're seeing here is the council are paying people for specific projects along market rates.

"This means people like Spooner can demand these types of salaries which restricts the council's ability to increase pay for everyone else.

"It's bad for society because the people at the top get richer and everyone else is hit by stalled salaries and rising living costs. It is a huge sum of money that needs justification and I think it would be disingenuous of the council not to offer one."

Mr Spooner has been put in charge of the borough's five-year regeneration plan which includes the redevelopment of the Whitgift Centre and Fairfield Halls and moving the council offices. He came from the Homes and Communities Agency – a Government body which provides investment for affordable and social housing.

In July, he unveiled a plan to build 9,500 new homes in Croydon in the next five years.

A HISTORIAN wants Croydon Council to reinstall a drinking fountain bought by the people of South Norwood to commemorate Queen Victoria's golden jubilee.

John Hickman wants Croydon Council to transport the fountain and put it back in its original spot on South Norwood Hill.

The fountain, erected in 1887, remains in a council depot in Purley after it was removed in what Mr Hickman called "an act of vandalism" ten years ago.

The wall the fountain was in was demolished to make room for an extra parking space but 1-9 South Norwood has subsequently been redeveloped.

However, permission for the development, which began in autumn 2010, was predicated on the fountain being installed into a wall next to the site.

But Mr Hickman and community group People for Portland Road are still waiting for the antique font to be reinstalled at the site opposite Stanley Halls.

Mr Hickman said: "It was bought by the people of South Norwood for South Norwood so it can't be right. As a community, we paid for it."

The fountain was the idea of Algernon C.P Coote, of Lancaster Road, in 1887, and £42 was publicly subscribed.

Mr Hickman, who recently offered to buy an antique lamppost outside his house on Albert Road, believes its removal was an act of vandalism because it is in the South Norwood Conservation Area.

The "act of vandalism" was seen by the now-deceased Hugh Byford, who forced Croydon Council to collect the drinking fountain and place it in storage.

An application was made by the developer of 1-9 South Norwood Hill, Ajay Marria, in May to remove the conditions pertaining to the drinking fountain's reinstallation from his planning permission.

Mr Marria claims the fountain is broken into three parts, although Mr Hickman disputes this, saying those are its three original parts.

Retired scientist Mr Hickman added: "I am worried they seem to be trying to avoid putting something of such historical significance back.

"And quite frankly, they have no right to either."

But Mr Marria, of Norbury, said he had been down to the depot and the fountain was definitely damaged, but added: "If the council repairs the fountain, I have said I will put it in the development."

A council spokesman said: "The fountain is still going back in as part of the planning conditions on the development."

A MOTHER claims a bus driver refused to stop despite his erratic driving, causing her three-year-old to fall and hit his head.

An investigation is now underway after the complaint by Denise Draper who says her son, Junior, had to be taken to hospital and is now too scared to use a bus.

Mrs Draper, of Adams Way, Woodside, got the T130 bus from New Addington on August 8.

She said: "I made him go in front of me so he could find a seat while I pressed my Oyster card.

"But just as I was doing, the driver lurched the bus forward really fast and my son hurtled forward and slammed his head against the sharp edge of the step.

"I was so scared, I sat on the floor with him, trying to calm him down because he was screaming his head off and tried to call out to the bus driver to get him to stop."

Luckily, a fellow passenger, Inder Jutlay, came to the mother's aid.

"I couldn't believe what I was seeing," he said.

"The mother was really panicked and didn't know what to do. I helped them sit down and looked at the little man's head.

"He had a big swollen mark coming up with a line on it where he'd hit his head.

"I shouted at the driver to stop so the boy could calm down.

"I know he could hear me because he was looking at us but he kept on driving just as quickly.

"I told her to get the kid's head checked out and gave her my number in case she needed any help."

Mrs Draper took her son to the nearest minor injuries walk-in centre and was told to take him to A&E if his condition got worse.

She then decided to demand an investigation from Metrobus with a description of the incident and a supporting witness statement from Mr Jutlay.

"If that had been my son, I would take it a lot further," Mr Jutlay said.

"It showed just a terrible lack of concern from the driver.

"He knew exactly what was going on and didn't care at all what was happening."

The mother said her son was now terrified of going on buses which made travelling a nightmare because the family does not own a car.

Mrs Draper added: "We've got no way else of getting around and it makes it really difficult with Junior now."

A Metrobus spokesman said: "'Unfortunately we only received the complaint yesterday [Tuesday] about an incident on our route 130 and are investigating it as a matter of urgency and will take any necessary action from the outcome of any findings."

TAXPAYERS could be forking out as much as £100,000 a year to pay for "political assistants" for the three main parties on Surrey County Council.

The role of the professional political advisor ranges from advising councillors on political issues to dealing with the media, preparing speeches and briefing notes and carrying out policy research.

But the jobs, which are provided by Surrey County Council and therefore funded by the taxpayer, are considered controversial by some because they must also be sympathetic to the political views of the party workers represent.

Both the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats have a full-time adviser while the Housing Association and Independent group has a role that amounts to 0.56 of a full-time role.

Although the county council refused to disclose individual pay, the national cap on the salary for these roles is £34,986 a year, which means taxpayers could be paying anything from £89,564 to £104,958 a year.

Leaders of two of the main parties on Surrey County Council defended their use of political assistants, saying they offered a valuable tool to help councillors do their jobs.

Hazel Watson, leader of the Liberal Democrats, said: "Political assistants provide useful support to councillors, such as admin and research, which frees up time for councillors to face local residents and I think they provide good value for money.

"I think it's perfectly fair for them to be funded by the taxpayer.

"There are political assistants across the country and Surrey County Council isn't unusual. For the opposition, it's invaluable with trying to find out information."

Councillor Nick Harrison, leader of the Housing Association and Independent Residents' Association Group, added: "We don't have a national organisation which could provide the sort of skills that other parties provide so political assistants do provide us with useful research skills, press releases and research for select committees and questions to cabinet members. Our political assistant is also only part-time."

A spokesman for the Department for Communities and Local Government said it was for individual councils to decide whether or not to fund political assistant roles and there was no requirement to have them.

"Councils should be able to justify all their staffing decisions in light of the need to make sensible saving," the spokesman added on the question of whether or not the council should continue to fund the roles.

Matthew Sinclair, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, questioned why taxpayers should continue to foot the bill for the political appointments at a time when councils are facing increasing pressure to reduce spending.

Councillor David Hodge, leader of Surrey County Council and the controlling Conservative Group, hadn't provided a comment before the Mirror went to press.

Elmwood Nursery has received a grade 2 'good' from Ofsted following their inspection in July 2013.

Ofsted is the Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills. Ofsted are independent and impartial and inspect and regulate services which care for children and young people and those providing education and skills for learners of all ages.

Elmwood Nursery opened in 2008 and operates from Carshalton College in purpose built premises. The nursery received a good grade in all inspected areas including:

1.    How well the early years provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend

2.    The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

3.    The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision

Comments made by Ofsted on the nursery include "Staff provide children with good role models…", "Staff successfully promote children's learning…", "Staff extend activities and make them challenging…", "Staff provide good opportunities for children to develop…"

Maria Gaylor, Nursery Manager said, "We are really delighted with the grade 2 we achieved from Ofsted. This is a reflection of the hard work and high standards of the whole team at the nursery. Our priority is the children and we strive to continue to provide a safe, happy and encouraging environment for the children."

Elmwood nursery is open each weekday from 8am to 6pm for 51 weeks of the year. The nursery is for children from 3 months to 5 years and is registered on the Early Years Register and on the voluntary and compulsory parts of the Childcare Register. The nursery supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

For more information please contact the Nursery Manager on 020 8544 4582.

JOHN FOWLER has insisted Whyteleafe will not be taking a win over Horley Town for granted when the two Surrey teams line up against each other in the FA Cup next weekend.

Whyteleafe earned a home tie in the first round qualifying of the famous cup competition by beating Fowler's former team Croydon 2-0 on Saturday.

And the Whyteleafe boss admits he enjoyed his first return to Croydon Arena since quitting for Leafe in July.

"It was a good result but to be fair the game itself wasn't brilliant," Fowler said. "It was pretty even in the first half, they missed a couple of chances to go ahead but once we settled we started to play a bit better."

Roscoe Dsane and Gareth Williams scored the goals for Leafe, after Fowler substituted the former for the latter and the manager admits being able to replace one former Crystal Palace striker for another is a nice situation.

"It's a long season ahead and I want to keep Roscoe and Gareth fit and injury-free, so I'm being careful with them," Fowler said.

"It's good to be able to change things around and still keep a strong side."

The win at Croydon sets up a home tie against another Combined Counties League Premier Division side, Horley, on September 14.

In contrast to Leafe's unbeaten start to the Southern Counties East League, Horley have one win from six in their league, but Fowler is wary of complacency.

"A run in the FA Cup is good for club's financially, so we won't be taking Horley lightly," Fowler said.

"They haven't had the best start in the league but you get that with some teams; funny league form and then a good cup run."

And Horley boss Trevor Smith insists he is happy to be underdogs, saying all the pressure is on Whyteleafe for the clash.

"I'd like to think we can find a way of beating any team at this level. They have had a good start to the season but they have to lose at some point – why not Saturday week?" Smith said. "I haven't been happy with the goals we have been conceding but hopefully we will score more than them.

"We are expected to get smashed, just like we were against South Park, so all the pressure is on Whyteleafe."

To celebrate Non-League Day on Saturday, Whyteleafe are offering season-ticket holders of Premier League and Football League clubs free admission to their Southern Counties East League game against Greenwich Borough (3pm).

CHIPSTEAD, Coulsdon & Walcountians Cricket Club chairman Ian Childs says his side will be gunning for a fifth promotion in five years next season.

The club won a third promotion in four years with victory over Woking & Horsell, sealing their place in Surrey Championship Division Two for next season.

And Childs said it was a "marvellous achievement" for the side, adding that they would now be looking to make it four in five next season.

"This is what we set out to achieve," he said.

"We need to keep the momentum going now and we expect to do well. We have got good strength in the squad and we are confident they can take us to the next level.

"We know Division Two will be a challenge, but we feel we have a team that is capable of being successful and it is our aim to make it four in five."

Chipstead complete their Division Three campaign this week with a trip to face Epsom.

Meanwhile, Oxted & Limpsfield batsman Simon Jackson has passed 1,000 runs for the season after scoring 77 in his side's defeat to Egham on Saturday.

The Os batsman took his tally to 1,020 runs for the season with his knock, with his runs coming at an average of 92.73.

He has been the star man for the Os this season, who are now guaranteed to finish third after a three-wicket defeat to Egham.

Batting first, Oxted posted 234-7, but Egham eased to the total in 35 overs.

Oxted complete their 2013 campaign at Maori Oxshott on Saturday.

REDHILL'S noted Victorian astronomer Richard Carrington has been mentioned in a variety of magazines and newspaper articles of late.

Mr Carrington lived in a large house, The Dome, on Furze Hill, from 1852, when he was 26 years old, and housed his observatory at the property.

He published a catalogue of his mapping of the stars in the northern skies of the 1850.

His most notable observation was the recording of a massive solar storm in 1859 – details of which have been repeatedly studied by astronomers over the years.

Alan Aylward, emeritus professor of atmospheric physics at University College, London, and part owner of the Grey Dove village cafe, Walton on the Hill, has been commenting on the Carrington observations recently in a magazine article.

Prof Aylward said that the "Carrington" solar storm on September 2, 1859, resulted in the skies above London being lit up by a "frightening swirl of moving sheets of light".

"In America, telegraph offices burst into flame and some telegraph operators received strong electric shocks. In Boston they disconnected the batteries from the telegraph cables and used the "natural" currents induced by the electrical display in the sky to send their messages," he wrote.

The sun had, said Prof Aylward, "coughed" and the Earth's upper atmosphere was responding to the sudden influx of energetic particles.

"This great auroral storm has become known as the 'Carrington event' – the most intense such display recorded in historic times."

There has been much discussion in recent years as to what the effect would be on satellites, GPS systems and televisions if a similar solar flare sent out outpourings of energy today.

Carrington was the son of a wealthy brewer who had some of the most advanced equipment available at the time housed in his observatory.

Today, The Dome high-rise flats stand on the site of Carrington's old house.

A cul-de-sac off Warwick Road is named Carrington Close and Observatory Walk, on the Cromwell Road estate, recalls the astronomer.

ORGANISERS of the Reigate & Redhill 150 celebrations have put forward a list of 20 famous residents of either town who may be eligible for a blue plaque on their former homes.

Yesteryear has already published 17 "famous faces" and this week we carry the final three candidates.

We asked readers if there were any other people they would like to see included in the "hall of fame" list.

One borough resident, Rod Lane, writes: "In my opinion Sir Malcolm Campbell and his son, Donald, should have a blue plaque bearing their name on the houses where they lived.

"I know they moved around a bit in our area, but Sir Malcolm lived at Povey Cross House, on the Reigate Road, when he was breaking records. More or less opposite the house was a massive 'garage' where Bluebird was housed and worked on by Leo Villa [of Reigate] and the team. This was demolished years ago and has been replaced by a warehouse-type structure known as Bluebird House."

No doubt, the organisers of the 150 celebrations of Reigate and Redhill fusing together as a municipal borough in 1863 will argue that the Povey Cross area of Hookwood falls outside the Reigate and Redhill area, but it is certainly true that the Campbells were inextricably linked with Reigate and Redhill.

John Capon, one of the main organisers, has also furnished Yesteryear with some details of two notorious former residents of the area, not, it should be added, eligible for a blue plaque.

Aleister Crowley (1875-1947) was born in Leamington Spa but came to live in The Grange, Redhill, with his family in 1881. It is believed The Grange was off Frenches Road.

"Founder of the controversial religious philosophy of Thelema, and a leading occultist, he was dubbed 'the wickedest man in the world' because of his hedonistic lifestyle."

Mr Capon referred also to the Great Train Robber, Ronald Biggs, who, at the time of the crime in August 1963, lived in Alpine Road, Redhill.

Biggs, born in 1929, settled in Redhill in 1959 and worked as a carpenter and handyman.

"Already a convicted criminal, he took part in the Great Train Robbery of 1963 but was arrested in Redhill, tried and jailed.

"He escaped and settled in Brazil, returning to Britain in 2001 a sick man to complete his sentence. He was released in 2009."

A PILOT who was killed when his plane crashed at Redhill Aerodrome had only held his licence for a few months.

David Marjason died when his microlight crashed into the turf shortly after take-off last Wednesday.

Mr Marjason, a chartered surveyor from Oxted, was one of four recreational flyers who owned the 21-year-old Rans S-6 microlight as part of a syndicate. It is understood he had been flying the plane for less than four months.

The aircraft's co-owner Keith Diamond said: "He only joined our group earlier this year.

"He was a very organised person and he took over the role of secretary of the club, which he was very good at.

"I have known him for about a year. I have been flying with him and, apart from the experience side of it, he was quite a capable pilot."

Mr Marjason was circuit flying, in which a pilot practices manoeuvres by repeatedly landing and taking off again, when he crashed at 12.18pm.

Eyewitnesses have told the Mirror the engine appeared to be "spluttering", and that Mr Marjason may have tried to turn the aircraft shortly before it fell to earth.

Mr Diamond, a pilot for 30 years, said the plane had a good safety record.

He said: "During your training it is drummed into you that you never turn back.

"I have one or two ideas about what could have gone wrong. One is that he tried to turn back.

"If you get engine failure you are trained to deal with that situation. I am just wondering whether he forgot that. I just hope the AAIB (Air Accident Investigation Branch) can come to a conclusion. The engine on that aircraft has never missed a beat.

"It looks like it nose-dived into the ground. No person is going to survive that. What I can't understand is why.

"I did hear someone say they thought the engine might have been the issue but that engine was in very good condition.

"He was just knocking out some circuits to fine-tune his ability.

"He was practising his landings, presumably to give himself more experience for when he came across airfields with shorter runways."

He added that Mr Marjason had a love of flying, saying: "That is why he bought into the group. That is why we all do it.

"It is something you enjoy, everyone has a hobby of some sort. You are operating in the third dimension and unfortunately things sometimes go wrong.

"My thoughts are with his family."

Mr Marjason, of Hamfield Close, ran his own business, Marjason & Associates.

He played the second horn in Oxted Band, which he had been a member of since 2000.

Writing on a British Microlight Aircraft Association forum in May, he said he had just passed his general skills training and would be flying the Rans aircraft.

His twitter profile states: "Chartered Surveyor, Corporate Building Engineer and Energy Assessor undertaking Building, Condition and Energy surveys… but would rather be flying a Microlight."

On Friday 6 September, a total of 16 past and present Carshalton College hairdressing students will be working on the "CATWALK4CHANGE" Couture fashion show.

The founder of Models of Diversity, Angel Sinclair is redefining fashion in the form of the Catwalk4Change fashion show. The event will consist of two shows. The first display expresses the need for a mature outlook within the high fashion industry. Taking inspiration from the style and grace of the 50s this exhibition will transcend close minded notions of age.

The second show, collaboration with Pret-a-Reporter Blogger Edita Lozovska, aims to highlight the lack of racial diversity on the runway. This inspirational display will bring together bloggers and designers of varied cultural, social and religious backgrounds.

Hairdressing Students from Carshalton College will be working backstage, assisting published hair stylists, celebrity stylists, front of house and in the VIP area.

Fiona Chaffey, Hairdressing tutor at Carshalton College will head the Hair and Make-up at the show and said "This will be a real eye opener for the students into the world of fashion shows. They will be able to see the work that goes into a high end event like this. It will also help on building customer service skills, which is so important within the hairdressing industry." 

There will be an audience of 250 people including celebrities such as Caroline Rush (British Fashion Council), Cast from The Only Way is Essex, Denise Welch, Jane Goldman and Charlotte Avery will present the show.