A GROUP of local women who have friends and family members battling cancer are raising money for charity - by wearing the same dress for a month.

The popular 'Dress For Success' event is currently on the go in work places throughout Inverclyde, including Newark Primary in Port Glasgow.

It involves dedicated women wearing only one dress every day throughout October, washing it at night.

They will use their imagination each day to accessorise differently and as well as raising cash for charity, it is hoped the ladies will learn a little about simplicity and materialism along the way.

Money raised from the quirky event will be donated to Macmillan Cancer Support to help people and families affected by cancer across Inverclyde.

Child minder Lori McFarlane, from Greenock, is organising the fundraiser and says she literally dreamt up the idea.

She told the Tele: "I was inspired to do this after a dream.

"My daughter goes to Whinhill Nursery and her teacher has just finished a year of treatment for cancer.

"I had a dream one night that I organised a fundraiser for her and then I woke up and couldn't stop thinking about it.

"So I thought 'I can do something' and thought of this.

"I rallied some friends round to do it.

"We hope that the more people in Inverclyde who hear about it then hopefully we will raise more money." Each participant is aiming to secure 31 sponsors, one for each day of the month, to donate to the Macmillan Cancer Support team in Inverclyde.

And as well as helping a great cause, the challenge also has another aim.

Lori said: "This is a worldwide thing and it started about five years ago when the founder's grandfather made the off-hand comment that girls in his day wore 'one dress for weekdays and one dress for Sunday'.

"The project's motto is 'anti-consumerism, pro-simplicity, anti-conformity, pro-imagination' - but for this group, learning to appreciate the value and potential of a single quality garment wasn't the only motivation for accepting the challenge. They felt they could use this opportunity to do something for the greater good and raise money for local cancer support at the same time." To keep up-to-date with the women who are taking part in the October Dress Project challenge or to find out how to sponsor them or make donations visit www.octoberdressproject.blogspot.co.uk