A lot has happened since the Formal Project started dressing young people for their Year 6, 10 and 12 formals – for free.
The signs were already there 12 months ago that this was never going to be an ordinary charity.
There has been such a huge demand from students the couple behind the Formal Project, Sam Oakes and her partner Chelle, have now given up their day jobs to concentrate on this incredible initiative.
And they haven’t wasted any time, turning the premises generously donated by Minto Mall to the Formal Project into a brilliantly designed emporium of formalwear.
They have divided the premises into two parts: the front is where donations of clothes, books and so on are put on display and sold to raise funds to meet the running costs of the Formal Project.
The back is an Aladdin’s cave of evening gowns, suits, ties, shoes and more shoes, grooming gear, you name it it’s there.
It is so pleasing to the eye that for a moment you forget this is clothes to help families doing it tough with the cost of living.
Compared to last year, when Sam and Chelle and their band of volunteers were starting out, now the premises are more like a chic fashion store.
“It really has exploded since last year,’’ says Ms Oakes.
“We’ve now become a registered charity and the owners of Minto Mall have enabled us to expand,’’ she says.
“We now do interview clothing, work experience clothing, corporate clothing, trade wear, general clothing.
“We also clothe quite a few homeless and youth refuge kids.
“That’s why we have made personal sacrifices to ensure that we can devote ourselves to the Formal Project.’’
Sam says they have also introduced a work experience program since last year, and introduces us to current intern Zara, an Elderslie High School student.
“I love it, it’s my favourite place,’’ says Zara, who does one day a week as part of the work experience program at the Formal Project.
Sam Oakes was named Campbelltown citizen of the year on Australia Day 2024, but says the honour should go to the entire team at the Formal Project.
Leading the roll call of 15 to 20 volunteers is Ms Oakes’ own mother in law, Bev, who puts in five days a week.
“We have some amazing volunteers, people like Bev, and Betty, who is 78 and comes in to help four days a week,’’ says Ms Oakes.
“Chelle and I are here 13 days a fortnight.’’
So, what’s next for the Formal Project?
Ms Oakes doesn’t hold back: “We’re going Australia wide, Eric,’’ she fires back.
“We want locations Australia wide – we have a really high standard for what we offer the students, we make sure their dignity, their confidentiality, their insecurities, everything is nurtured when they come here,’’ says Ms Oakes.
Last year, the first serious attempt at doing this, Sam Oakes and her team dressed more than 1,300 students in Campbelltown as well as other parts of the metropolitan area.
“We will probably reach 2,000 this year, I am pretty sure,’’ says Ms Oakes.
Already 450 local students will be dressed for their 2024 end of year formals by the Formal Project.
But get this: so will another 398 students Australia wide, with more than 100 in the Northern Territory alone, who have booked in to get their formal gear from this “little’’ Campbelltown charity.
It costs nothing, with Formal Project footing all the bills, including shipping.
That’s why fundraising is also a big focus at the Formal project, who accept donations and also raise some money by running the monthly markets at the southern Minto Mall carpark.
They at outside the northern entrance to Minto Mall, so if you’re going past drop in and say hello and maybe buy some of their clothes at the front or even make a donation.
