Fashion Through The Decades will feature vintage couture from the Victorian era to the present from Gladys Fashions in Tullamore.

The gala event is in aid of ENT Zambia a charity set up by Tullamore-based ENT surgeon Kieran O'Driscoll some years ago following a trip to Lusaka where he saw for himself that children were dying from conditions that are very easily treated.

Twice a year Kieran and a team of volunteers spend a few weeks in a hospital in Lusaka performing basic ENT surgeries that save lives. On every trip they bring with them equipment and medicine paid for by fund-raising events held throughout the year. Aid agency Gorta has also assisted by helping fund a mobile clinic which means the team will be able to travel to out-lying areas to help patients who cannot get into Lusaka.

This year ENT Zambia is funding the building of a new ENT theatre, store room and garage for the mobile clinic and for the special equipment. The mobile clinic is at present en route to Lusaka along with a 40 foot container, also co-funded through Gorta.

Part of the contents are the instruments for the mobile clinic. About 20 volounteers helped Kieran and his team load the container - some medical and some not, "all heroes and heroines" he says. "It took us two days and much back ache to load it. I am so grateful to all who gave of their valuable time during the Christmas break to make this possible."

"Medical engineers assessed all the equipment and it's all working. The audiology equipment is superb and some of it brand new. We will be able to furnish our new theatre with its own anaesthetic machine, lights, suction, diathermy and much more and all with replacemnets and replacement parts. We will also be able to furnish our new ward and outpatients with all equipment. We have at least three monitors and camera equipment for teaching both in theatre and in outpatients.
"This is a very exciting time for our project," adds Kieran. "All the funds we raise go directly on equipment and medicine, so events like Fashion Through the Decades are very important."

Tickets for the event are available in Portlaoise from Adams Pharmacy (tel: 057 86 21115) and McElwee's Pharmacy, Mountmellick and Portlaoise (Tel: 057 86 24255). RTÉ's Sonya Lennon from 'Off the Rails' will officially open the event while veteran fashionista Celia Homan Lee will provide the models.

The format for the evening is a wine reception at 7pm, gourmet dinner at 8pm followed by the fashion show. Entertainment throughout the evening will be provided by classical musicians lending a very special ambience to this very special evening for a very special cause.