Northumbria fashion student wins award after sight loss
"I was stuck at home and had to recover," she said.The 23-year-old was forced to take time out of university and, at one point, thought she would never finish her pieces."I was watching all of the other girls around, who were so excited to finish their collection, and I couldn't use a sewing machine," she said.
The Northumbria University student became unwell and started to experience chronic migraines in early March.These then led to the loss of sight in her left eye and she ended up needing treatment in hospital.The NHS says migraines affect six million people in the UK with more women experiencing them than men.After treatment, Miss Ashton regained her sight and managed to finish her collection in time for Graduate Fashion Week in London earlier this month, where she was awarded "highly commended"."It was crazy," she said. "After being so ill I never expected to get to London Graduate Fashion Week with three looks."When everyone was talking about it I had to put it to the back of my mind, because the most important thing was finishing my degree."
The annual fashion event showcases the creations of more than 3,000 students working in 26 different fashion disciplines at more than 95 UK and international universities.Miss Ashton says she sourced a lot of the materials for her collection from second hand and charity shops to make it as cost effective as possible. "I don't exactly have the biggest budget to play with so it was really important that I showed how accessible the industry could be," she said.Northumbria University fashion programmes director Sarah Walton said it was "incredibly important" for students to lean into their background when creating their designs. "We find that some of the most successful projects that we have are about a student's cultural heritage," she said.
Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
2 minutes ago
- The Sun
Dad's heartbreaking last post as he geared up for Oasis gig just hours before plunging to his death ‘from top tier'
A DAD's heartbreaking final post before attending an Oasis gig where he plunged to his death has been revealed. Lee Claydon is understood to have fallen from the upper tier balcony at the London concert. 3 3 The audience was applauding and fireworks were going off at the end of the show when tragedy struck. It's now emerged Lee's brother Aaron wrote on Facebook how he was excited to go to the gig. Lee commented: "Cheers our kid". It comes after his devastated family paid tribute to the "devoted father, partner and role model". His partner Amanda said she would "never stop loving you" and called Lee her "soulmate". She added: "I don't have many words right now but it's not fair and it's not right that you're not here with us! "I am so grateful to have spent the time we had even though this cruel world has cut it way too short! "We had so much to look forward to! I will try my best to be strong for all." Aaron, Lee's brother, paid tribute to him on a GoFundMe page set up to support his grieving family. He said: "Our family has been turned upside down and are struggling to deal with this devastation and unexpected loss. "Lee leaves behind his Son, Dad, Partner, Brothers, Sisters, Nephews and Niece. "Lee was a loving family man who was a role model to his son Harry and was loved so much by all his family. "Lee would have done anything for any of us and he was taken from us far too soon and we will miss him so very much." He later added: "Still in shock and cannot believe I am writing this, but sadly over the weekend I lost by best mate the man I looked up to and the man I was lucky enough to call my brother Lee Claydon. "This is a gonna be a tough long journey and I have set up this gofundme page to help and support his loved ones. "Please read and share. Until we meet again Rkid." Also paying tribute to the dad on Facebook, his cousin Shannon Gabrielle said: "Honestly don't even know what words to write right now. "My cousin Lee tragically passed away this weekend after no doubt having the time of his life at the Oasis concert this weekend, most will have seen snippets in the news I'm sure & as you can imagine it has devastated the whole family and for his closest knit family unit it's the toughest time they are going through ever right now." Oasis said in a statement that they were "shocked and saddened" by the fan's death. They added: "Oasis would like to extend our sincere condolences to the family and friends of the person involved." In a statement the Metropolitan Police said: "A man - aged in his 40s - was found with injuries consistent with a fall. "He was sadly pronounced dead at the scene. "The stadium was busy and we believe it is likely a number of people witnessed the incident, or may knowingly or unknowingly have caught it on mobile phone video footage. "If you have any information that could help us to confirm what happened, please call 101." A spokesperson for Wembley Stadium said: "Wembley Stadium medics, the London Ambulance Service and the police attended to a concert-goer who was found with injuries consistent with a fall. "Despite their efforts, the fan very sadly died. Our thoughts go out to his family, who have been informed and are being supported by specially trained police officers. "The police have asked anyone who witnessed the incident to contact them."
The Independent
31 minutes ago
- The Independent
‘Role model' father who fell to his death at Oasis gig in Wembley named and pictured
A man who fell to his death during Oasis's Saturday night gig at Wembley has been named as Lee Claydon. The father from Bournemouth fell from the upper tier balcony of the London stadium during a sell-out concert by the Gallagher brothers. Describing him as a 'loving family man' who loved fishing and outdoor activities and a 'role model' to his son, Lee's brother Aaron Claydon said: 'We will miss him so very much.' Aaron paid tribute to his brother on a GoFundMe page set up to support Lee's partner, Amanda, and their family. In the post, he said Lee was 'the man I have always looked up to' who 'would have done anything for any of us'. 'Our family has been turned upside down and are struggling to deal with this devastation and unexpected loss,' Aaron wrote. 'Lee leaves behind his son, dad, partner, brothers, sisters, nephews and niece. 'Lee was a loving family man who was a role model to his son Harry and was loved so much by all his family. Lee would have done anything for any of us and he was taken from us far too soon and we will miss him so very much. 'Lee loved all outdoor activities, one of his favourite hobbies was fishing. He also loved music and his guitar. He also really enjoyed going to watch and support the boys and his nephew at their football games. 'Amanda and the boys have our full support at this very sad time, which is why we would love to be able to help them financially as well as emotionally. 'Please help us raise as much funds as we can to take one worry off Amanda and family right now as they are going through any family's worst nightmare.' Aaron also took to Facebook to pay tribute to his brother, writing: 'Still in shock and cannot believe I am writing this, but sadly over the weekend I lost by best mate the man I looked up to and the man I was lucky enough to call my brother Lee Claydon. 'This is gonna be a tough long journey and I have set up this GoFundMe page to help and support his loved ones. Please read and share. 'Until we meet again Rkid.' Lee's cousins, Shannon Gabrielle and Richard Norris, also paid tribute to Lee on the social media platform and shared the fundraiser. 'Absolutely shocked and gutted to hear about our cousin Lee Claydon,' Mr Norris wrote, describing the incident as 'heartbreaking beyond words'. 'Please consider supporting the fundraiser to help his loved ones during yet another incredibly difficult time,' he said. Shannon Gabrielle wrote Lee had died 'after no doubt having the time of his life at the Oasis concert this weekend'. She added his death had 'devastated the whole family' and said any donations would help support his 'closest knit' relatives. 'You just don't fathom you will go out for a night of amazing fun and not come home at the end of it,' she wrote. In a statement issued on Sunday, the Metropolitan Police said: 'A man – aged in his 40s – was found with injuries consistent with a fall. 'He was sadly pronounced dead at the scene. 'The stadium was busy and we believe it is likely a number of people witnessed the incident, or may knowingly or unknowingly have caught it on mobile phone video footage. 'If you have any information that could help us to confirm what happened, please call 101.' The Gallagher brothers also said they had been left 'shocked and saddened' by the news of the death following their show. On Sunday, a spokesperson for Wembley said: 'Last night, Wembley Stadium medics, the London Ambulance Service and the police attended to a concert-goer who was found with injuries consistent with a fall. 'Despite their efforts, the fan very sadly died. Our thoughts go out to his family, who have been informed and are being supported by specially trained police officers. 'The police have asked anyone who witnessed the incident to contact them.'
Daily Mail
32 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Sharon Horgan breaks her silence on romance with co-star Barry Ward following split from The Charlatans frontman Tim Burgess
Sharon Horgan has broken her silence on her rumoured romance with fellow actor and former co-star Barry Ward as she confirmed they are in a relationship. The Bad Sisters creator, 55, split from The Charlatans frontman Tim Burgess earlier this year after two years together. She explained that she first met Barry, 44, in 2019 while filming the coming-of-age comedy Dating Amber, where they played a married couple. Sharon later cast the Irish actor as her co-star in the smash-hit Apple TV+ series Bad Sisters - though insists their on-screen reunion wasn't a calculated move. 'We met years ago doing a film together, and then became friendly,' Sharon said. 'And then a good few years later - and this wasn't on purpose, by the way - I cast him in Bad Sisters. Honestly, it wasn't on purpose!' Speaking on the Dinner's On Me podcast with Jesse Tyler Ferguson, she said of their relationship: 'It was unexpected... Being single again at my age is a whole thing.' Sharon Horgan has broken her silence on her rumoured romance with fellow actor and former co-star Barry Ward as she confirmed they are in a relationship (pictured in May) Sharon continued: 'And it just feels like so much fun just to meet someone who you can have a laugh with and connect with. It's surprising.' She also reflected on their nine-year age gap: 'I said ten years for a while, and it freaked me out too much. I don't know why I was rounding up. 'I think initially, I was like, oh, that's exotic - being ten years older. I sort of got off on it. Then I was like, oh no, that's not good.' Speculation that the pair were more than friends first surfaced in March, when Sharon was reportedly spotted visiting Barry on the set of his new drama Trespasses, a 1970s Northern Ireland-set series co-starring Gillian Anderson. Barry - known for his roles in Britannia, The Capture, and Jimmy's Hall - played Garda detective Fergal Loftus in Bad Sisters, a shrewd officer with a complicated love life that including dating Sharon's on-screen sister. Off-screen, insiders claimed their chemistry was hard to miss. 'Everyone around them has commented on their chemistry,' a source told The Sun. 'Sharon and Barry certainly seem to be enjoying spending time together.' Sharon was previously married to property developer Jeremy Rainbird for 14 years. The pair met in 2004, and she fell pregnant just six months later. Their real-life whirlwind inspired Catastrophe, her BAFTA-winning sitcom co-starring Rob Delaney. The couple split in 2019 and share two daughters. Sharon later began dating Tim Burgess, but the relationship ended earlier this year. She has spoken candidly about the toll of divorce - and the freedom that followed. 'There came a point where it was so clear that it wasn't right for either of us,' she said on the How to Fail podcast. 'You get one life, and that's an awful lot of time to spend on something that's not working.' In an interview with Red magazine, she added: 'I feel more in control and more independent. I certainly feel happier than I have been in the last few years.'
