IT WASN’T quite Sydney Fashion Week, but it was great fun when residents, staff, volunteers and even pets walked the red carpet at a local retirement home.
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RFBI retirement villages across NSW and the ACT staged the events in recent days “to celebrate the individuality and style” of the people they care for.
In Tamworth, several men, women, dogs and even a goat took a turn, including Edna Coninan and Dorothy Norris.
Both 92, they coincidentally chose to wear variations on the colour purple, topped with tasteful fascinators.
They modelled their outfits while a carer, who is also a photographer, did a shoot.
Mrs Coninan said she chose her outfit by “just putting together the colours I like”.
Mrs Norris said she was a bit daunted being under the spotlight because “I don’t think I’m very photogenic”.
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Pets on parade
A highlight of the morning was the village’s therapy pets showing off the latest in furry fashion.
These included Sonny Bill, who unofficially works the village’s front counter; and Bambi, a four-week-old goat adopted by RFBI Care at Home worker Tiffany Emery.
“When I was asked to bring Bambi in for the fashion parade, I said ‘Of course – any excuse to dress up my goat; we’re there,’” Mrs Emery laughed.
“Bambi loves it here.
“He’s figured out where the residents are normally and he seeks them out for cuddles.
“Their faces light up … for many of them, it takes them back to when they had their own lamb they bottle-fed.”
An RFBI spokesperson said events such as these allowed residents “to interact in a fun, innovative, age-irrelevant way, ensuring the focus is on what we have to share – not what age we are”.