Fashion: Charity ball funds orphanage work

THE Romanian Orphanage Trust is hosting a fashion ball tomorrow to help fund its work for Romania's 130,000 orphans.

The evening will feature a fashion show, with clothes from Vivienne Westwood, John Richmond, Helen Storey and Bruce Oldfield.

The fund is also holding a design competition, sponsored by Littlewoods Home Shopping, which is open to six fashion colleges. Judges will include Helen Storey, Marie Helvin and Marion Hume, fashion editor of the Independent. The theme is Renaissance of Eastern Europe.

The last Romanian orphanage fashion appeal raised pounds 30,000, enough to send a team of workers to an orphanage for a year. This time, the organisers hope to raise sufficient funds to launch Romania's own Foster Care Programme, so orphans can be placed with Romanian families.

Tickets for the evening, which includes a champagne reception and dinner, are pounds 75 each. For information, ring 071-248 2424. Cheques, made payable to the Romanian Orphanage Fashion Appeal, can be sent to The Romanian Orphanage Trust, 32 Queen Victoria Street, London EC4N 4SS.

(Photographs omitted)