“Thank you for the best night of my life.” - The Mix hosts alternative Prom event for young people

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Going to a prom has become a rite of passage for young people leaving secondary school and going onto the next chapter of their life, but what if you don’t get that opportunity?

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The Mix recently hosted an alternative prom, Infinity Night, for those aged 15 to 19 (equivalent school years 11 to 13) who are unable to attend mainstream education, which means they miss out on their Prom. They could be home educated, access school another way, or are part of an alternative provision.

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Young people arrived dressed to impress, but with no pressure to glam up, showcasing everything from glamorous ballgowns to creative cosplay.

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The Mix was transformed into a celestial wonderland; with moon and star decorations, cosmic mocktails, a sumptuous buffet, a photo booth, a wish-making station, chocolate fountains, a silent disco, quiet spaces, and engaging games.

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The night started with arrival, photographs, games, mingling, and then time to grab a bite to eat. After food it was time for dancing, either in our disco room or a silent disco.

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This magical evening provided young people with the prom experience they had missed, as well as an experience for their parents who have also missed out on seeing their children go to prom, until now.

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At the end of the night, one young person said; “thank you for the best night of my life.” The night was truly memorable for everyone involved.

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Anna Rowe, SEN youth worker at The Mix, said; “we work with lots of different young people at The Mix, and one of the most important things to us is to give hope and show them they are special and unique.  

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A lot of these young people who wouldn’t have got to go to a prom feel like they missed out, and I think that’s such a special night in their life, so we wanted to offer that for those who missed out.

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We decorated The Mix like a celestial wonderland with music, dancing, mocktails, a buffet by our café team, Cabbages & Kings, and lots of different spaces for everyone’s needs.

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We wanted to celebrate those young people who wouldn’t have been given a prom from their education setting and it was a massive success.

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Infinity Night was free of charge, as is all The Mix’s services, so fundraising was achieved to pay for the costs of food, decorations and activities for the night by a friend and volunteer to The Mix Tracey, whose daughter had not got the opportunity to go to her prom and was the inspiration for this event.

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