Student designers to showcase healthy lifestyle streetwear in House of Commons

STREETWISE Ripon Grammar school fashionistas will present their novel ideas to help promote healthy teenage lifestyle choices at the Houses of Parliament.

Their inspirational designs for fun pop art logos on recycled T-shirts, hoodies, trainers and caps have so impressed the Community Alcohol Project (CAP) that they have been asked to show them to MPs.

CAP, which works to help reduce the harm caused by alcohol abuse among young people, has awarded the students a £2,500 grant towards buying a textile design equipment for their streetwear collection project and providing £100 prizes for winning designs.

The students will appear in front of MPs at a CAP awards ceremony on March 2 at the Terrace Pavilion in the House of Commons, with their final collection featuring at the school’s charity Autumn Fashion Show, showcasing upcycled fashion, in aid of St Michael’s Hospice in Harrogate.

Aspiring aerospace engineer Evelyn Butterfield said: “The aim of our streetwear project is to get across the message that an alcohol-free childhood is the way to go.”

The 13-year-old, from Ripon, added: “We are hoping it will raise awareness of how alcohol negatively affects children and people of all ages. Going to parliament would be really exciting and potentially make a difference.”

Jessica Glew, who is aiming to become an agricultural scientist, said she hoped the student designs would grab the attention of important people who could do something about problem drinkers.

The 13-year-old, from Rainton, said: “Our main aim is to try and get across the message that young children and teenagers should be encouraged as much as possible to live a non-alcoholic lifestyle. We are hoping this will help raise awareness so that more things can be done to help.”

Sara Beloula, who wants to study computer science or maths said she hoped she could help make a real difference with the project.

The 12-year-old, from Boroughbridge, said: “My idea is to make a simple design which represents the 0% alcohol message so it can be worn daily and not stay in a cupboard forever.

“This project is important as alcohol poisoning can kill, drinking alcohol underage is illegal and it really can ruin your life. I hope it sends a message that drinking alcohol can impact your life in ways you can't control.

“Presenting the project to MPs will help spread awareness and reach more people, which would be amazing.”

Led by design technology teacher, Elizabeth Goddard, who has established an after-school fashion club offering textile and graphic workshops, the students will be designing, creating and printing their streetwear range in school.

Miss Goddard said: “From the very beginning, I have been immensely proud of the pupils’ enthusiasm for the fashion club. Their creative enquiry, willingness to experiment, and commitment to producing meaningful work have been truly inspiring.

“It has been remarkable to see how thoughtfully they have embraced the CAP message, weaving it into their designs with maturity and insight.

“We are all so excited to showcase their achievements and to help raise awareness of the valuable work CAP is doing within our community.”

RGS welfare officer Caroline Hare, who worked with Miss Goddard on the successful CAP Innovation Fund bid, said the aim was to empower students to take full ownership of the creative process — from concept to finished product.

“CAP have been incredibly enthusiastic about the proposal, as it places students at the heart of the message and offers a powerful, peer-led platform to promote their cause.

“They see it as an innovative and meaningful way to engage young people while giving their work real visibility.

“The funding will allow us to procure a specialist dye sublimation printer, along with the additional clothing and materials needed to bring the project to life,” she said.

The CAP grant is awarded to organisations which can demonstrate a creative and forward-thinking approach to supporting young people in understanding and resisting the negative impacts of alcohol.

In the meantime, she school’s popular fashion club with textile and graphic workshops, held on Monday lunchtimes and on Thursdays after school, is attracting more and more students.

Evelyn said: “I first became interested in fashion when I joined this club, I had always wanted to create my own piece of clothing, and this was my chance. I have attempted to make clothes before but it didn’t go well. Now I have had a bit of experience in sewing for this project and I’m going to create an image and edit it to print it onto a T-shirt.>

Jessica said: “The first time I was really inspired to get into textiles was when my mum showed me how to use our sewing machine. I was very interested and instantly wanted to create something myself.

“When I found this textiles club I was very excited to get started and after a while of trial and error, I really got into this experience. I was very excited when we were told that we were going to be making and editing our own T-shirt designs.

Sara added: “I first got interested in fashion when I saw the opportunity for the club at school and decided to give it a go. I didn't go in expecting much, but I realised I enjoyed it and decided to keep doing it. I get inspired by clothes from movies and shows, such as the Hunger Games, or clothes that I see every day. I have designed clothes before, but up until now, the designs always stayed on paper and never made it to fabric.

*The RGS Autumn Fashion Show is supported by the Ripon branch of St Michael’s Hospice and Friends of RGS.