Redbank Plains’ Alyssa Roy attends dream formal thanks to Formally Yours

More than 1000 Ipswich teenagers who would otherwise be unable to attend their school formals have had their dreams become reality, thanks to the generosity of their community.

Formal season is an exciting time of year for many Year 12 students, but for thousands of Queensland teens – including Redbank Plains’ Alyssa Roy – it can be overwhelming and anxiety-provoking.

The cost of the formal has been made even harder for the young woman after her mum was diagnosed with cancer.

“My family has been stressed this entire year about formal,” Alyssa, 17, said.

Though the glitz and glamour of the evening had always been alluring, the huge financial burden tied to it made the prospect of her attending virtually impossible.

“My mother’s always been open with me about our financial situation,” she said.

“I understood I might not be able to go.”

Alyssa’s mother, Tania Roy, is a single parent and works part-time as a cleaning auditor. Last week she was diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia.

“Due to my health, I can only work a certain amount of hours,” Tania said.

“I found that the expense to get Alyssa organised for formal was far more than I could afford.”

That was until Tania stumbled upon a Facebook post by Ipswich-based community organisation Formally Yours a few weeks ago and connected with its founder, Sam Harrison.

The unique program, established by Ms Harrison five years ago after she herself struggled to pay for her daughter’s formal expenses, changed everything.

“It’s taken the pressure right off my shoulders at a time when I needed it,” Tania said.

“I would have done what I could, but I wouldn’t have known how I was going to do it.”

Formally Yours has provided the Redbank Plains State High School student with a makeup artist, a hair stylist, a nail technician, and a photographer free of charge, as well as a formal dress and a blue corvette for the evening.

Alyssa’s mum has also been supplied a dress and shoes, and her brother a suit, to wear on Wednesday, the day of her formal.

Ms Harrison said more than 1000 students had accessed help through Formally Yours this year, up from about 500 last year.

Formally Yours has been supported by staff at Redbank Plaza who have donated both a shop and electricity, allowing the service to continue at Ipswich. Picture: Facebook / Formally Yours - Ipswich

The service, which operates out of a space donated by Redbank Plaza, has become a full time job for her, but she said she would not have it any other way.

“The transformation from who (the students) are when they walk in to who they are when they walk out is the most incredible thing you’ve ever seen,” she said.

“We don’t ask personal details, but a lot of the kids seem to volunteer them. We’re definitely there to listen.”

Ms Harrison said Formally Yours caters to a wide range of people, including kids who are neglected, isolated, experiencing financial troubles, or who have a disability.

“I would have given anything to have help like that when my kids were my age,” she said.

“I actually was homeless when my daughter was in grade 12.

“Along came formal and I had to pay off her gown because she needed to be as good as. I was just treated like a total low class citizen.

“It just stuck with me. After 10 years, I thought nobody deserves to feel like that.”

She said Formally Yours prides itself on being judgment-free, catering for people of all shapes, sizes, backgrounds, and circumstances.

Last month, the program helped dress a group of 10 students from YMCA Vocational School for an end-of-year event. Picture: Facebook / Formally Yours - Ipswich

The program has also managed to keep a number of Ipswich students in school, as they were motivated to stick around until the formal at the very end of their senior year.

“It’s becoming a real red apple for them to go right through and finish,” Ms Harrison said.

She said the gratitude that had come from Alyssa and her mother had been “overwhelming”, and she loved playing a role in making her formal dreams come true.

Alyssa will attend her school formal at the Brookwater Golf and Country Club on Wednesday evening, and said she was looking forward to having a great night with her friends.

“Sam’s been very kind to me and my mother,” she said.

“I cannot thank her enough.”

The Roy family can now turn their attention to helping Tania as she comes to terms with her shock leukaemia diagnosis and navigates what it means for them going forward.