WHEN Louise Collins opened her husband-to-be's wardrobe she couldn't believe her eyes.
Her bloke appeared to have a fetish... for wedding dresses.
But as it turned out, Louise - or to use her Sunday name the Reverend Louise R Collins - had no need to worry.
The man in her life - Liberian Ambassador Alpha Bird Collins - had a very good explanation.
The dresses, he told her, were bound for his war-torn homeland - where wedding dresses cost up to a year's wages - and his blushing bride is now supporting him in his quest.
Louise, who is the vicar of Fir Vale, said: "Alpha had been buying good quality second hand wedding dresses from local charity shops to take with him to Liberia.
"Most people there live on around a dollar a day and to buy a new wedding dress would cost about six months to a year's wages so it is beyond the scope of most women.
"Yet it is still an aspiration of many to get married in white."
Alpha and Louise were introduced by a mutual friend just over a year ago and were married in June by Bishop Jack Nicholls at St Cuthbert's Church, Fir Vale.
Louise said: "On our wedding day we launched The Liberian Wedding Dress Project.
"Basically the idea is we take the dresses to Liberia where our local partners will loan them out to Liberian brides, for a small charge to cover cleaning and so on."
She added: "We had a most fabulous and colourful wedding with 300 guests from all over and wonderful music from England and Liberia.
"St Cuthbert's had never seen anything quite like it!"
Alpha, who is studying for an MA in International Law, also works as a FIFA football players' agent and as a volunteer for Sheffield Race Equality Council.
Before training as vicar Louise worked as music therapist.
She said: "Since we launched the project we have been amazed at the interest and we now have almost 20 dresses, all donated by local women.
"We just got some more yesterday from a friend in the Muslim community here in Fir Vale, who is keen to support the effort.
"We've been amazed at the generosity of people and how word has got around.
"We also have a couple of men's suits and several bridesmaids' dresses.
"Our challenge now is to get them shipped out in time for our visit to Liberia, later next month."
The West African country is in the process of recovering from 15 years of civil war. It now has a stable government and has Africa's first democratically-elected female president. But the infrastructure of the country has been severely damaged.
Education and health care are very limited.
"If we, and the good people of South Yorkshire, can bring some joy through the project, it will be great," said Louise.
She will be keeping her own peach coloured wedding dress for a while - to wear at events to promote the project - but intends to donate it eventually.
Alpha and Louise also need funds to help with transport costs.
Dresses can be dropped off at St Cuthbert's Church, on Barnsley Road, any Sunday morning, and donations can be made payable to Action Love Liberia and sent to St Cuthbert's Vicarage, 7 Horndean Road, Sheffield, S5 6UJ.
Call Louise and Alpha on 0114 261 1605 for more information.
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