IT will be a wedding dress extravaganza when gowns from across the last century are paraded at the Soroptimist high tea tomorrow.

The annual event always includes an historical fashion parade.

Soroptimist International Toowoomba president Merryn Hodges said wedding dresses were the perfect accompaniment to this year's event.

"We've got 22 dresses and the oldest is from 1923," she said.

The high tea will fundraise for the Youth Service Gateway House, birthing centres in Papua New Guinea and the sewing centre at Tanop Community Educational Centre in Cambodia.

"We don't only fundraise, we also do advocacy work," Mrs Hodges said.

"We promote women and children. If you can help the women, you help the children."

The group, which focuses on building a better world for women and girls, meets every third Tuesday of the month and for dinner every two months.

The club will turn 40 years old in December.

"We've been in Toowoomba a long time," Mrs Hodges said.

For more information call Merryn Hodges on 4613 6512.

Soroptimist International

• Is a worldwide organisation for women.
• It works through service projects to raise the status of women and promote equality.
• More than 90,000 women worldwide belong to a group.