It may have been a cold Sunday night in January but the weekend was far from over for wanabe models keen to do their bit for chairty in Dundee.

Around 40 young people attended the audition stage of a charity fashion competition, held at Dundee University Students Association on Sunday January 27th.

This event was aimed at finding Dundee's next top model who will become the Face of Freedom 2008, and it aims to raise money for Maggie's Cancer Caring Centre where donated money is used effectively to aid patient comfort.

Irving Miskell-Reid, of Freedom Hair and Arlene Fenton, a cancer survivor and passionate fund raiser, were actively involved in organising the event due to their previously successful charity events - their recent efforts have raised over £17,000 for cancer care in Dundee. For this event, Irving worked alongside Dundee University Charities Committee, former model Kezia McKinnon, Hair NK and In Scotland Magazine.

The enthusiastic models were professionally photographed and then it was the judges remit to score the competitors on walk style, composure, individuality and overall potential to make it in the fashion industry. Irving used his 'Network of Friends' group to ensure a judging panel of people experienced in the industry; including Kezia McKinnon, Dom Migele, Leigh Ferguson and Eve Noon.

Kezia is no stranger to the fashion industry, so she know what she was looking for. Having won a competition some years ago that kick-started her modelling career, she uses this knowledge to aid her interest in working behind the scenes of fashion events, with a particular focus on make-up and beauty.

Dom was three times Scottish L'Oreal Color Trophy winner and is kept busy working salons in Kirkcaldy. He is current holder of the British Hair and Beauty Industry's "Customer Care Award".

Although the standard of those auditioning was high, the job of judging effortless for Leigh Ferguson, who has been known to travel to New York, Milan and London with her job as fashion stylist based in Glasgow.

Eve is a reporter for The Courier and Evening Telegraph newspapers in Dundee and she used her eye for details and passion for fashion to judge the potential models.

By the end of the event, twelve individuals were chosen to perform in the "gladrags" charity fashion show final which took place on Sunday February 24th at The Whitehall Theatre in Dundee. The event will also see cancer survivors and their children modelling.

The date of the event has been chosen to coincide with the University's 'glad rags' week and finalists will compete for prizes including money, a fashion shoot and the potential to get a modelling contract.

Irving is keen to make this 'town and gown' style charity event an annual occasion and he is already working on plans to make next year's "network of Friends" show even bigger to raise as much as possible for cancer care charities, which means a great deal to him.