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Calendar: Cheeky businessmen pose naked in aid of Macmillan
GETTING your kit off for a charity calendar started with the Women's Institute Calendar Girls – which was later made into a film – and now every town seems to have its own version.
GETTING your kit off for a charity calendar started with the Women's Institute Calendar Girls – which was later made into a film – and now every town seems to have its own version.But what inspires people to pose in the buff? Jemma Walton found out.
IT isn't every woman who could persuade 12 men to pay 350 and pose naked for her, but Sharon Peter has managed it.
Hairdresser Sharon is the brains behind Spalding's 2009 calendar featuring 12 local businessmen in various states of undress, which will be sold to make money for Macmillan.
"I became involved with Macmillan because someone asked if I wanted to come along to a meeting and find out more about what they do," the 37-year-old said.
"And I realised that we only had two Macmillan nurses in our area. I was surprised that there weren't more. I decided to get involved with the fund-raising side of things because I thought that if there were 20 of us instead of five, we would be able to raise more money."
Sharon knew one of the nurses, who came into her hairdressing salon, Strands of Spalding, but one of them went on maternity leave, meaning we only had one in the Spalding area. "Macmillan nurses do such a brilliant job and really help people at a very difficult time in their lives, and I thought the calendar would be a good way of raising funds to pay for another nurse.
"We need to sell 20 calendars at 6.99 each to pay for a Macmillan nurse for just one day."
Sharon decided to put a calendar together after realising she bought one for her salon every year – she spotted the advertising potential, and approached local businesses, asking them for 350 to appear in something that will hang on people's walls all year round.
"Putting it together was good fun," she added. "The blokes come in all shapes and sizes, and the calendar should put a smile on the faces of the ladies who buy them. "We have a couple of men on the Macmillan board in Spalding, and they are keen to do a women's version next year. But I say that it's mainly ladies who buy calendars, and we want to look at naked men."
The male models were:
Models were provided by sponsors All Aspects Car Care, Baytree Nurseries Garden Centre, CER Groundworks, Holbeach Tyres, Joe's Restaurant, M Yould Plumbing and Heating, Morriss and Mennie, PurerClean, Ray Turner Labour, Spalding Air Conditioning Services, Stuart's The Barber's Shop and Welland Print.
The calendar costs 6.99, and can be bought from places around Spalding, including Baytree Nurseries, the Spalding Guardian offices and Bookmark in The Crescent.
Next pages: Macmillan - Easing the burden of cancer patients'A great way to advertise'
MARK Chatterley thought that stripping off completely would be a good way of advertising his business, All Aspects Car Care, in Pode Hole, rather than himself.
"I haven't got a girlfriend," he said. "But I honestly didn't see doing this as a way of finding one! We've only been in business for a few weeks, and myself and my business partner, Andrew Chapman, thought it'd be a great way of getting our name out there."
Mark (26) thinks he and Andrew are the only blokes in the calendar who have taken every shred of clothing off – something they were tricked into by the photographer.
"We asked how everyone else was posing, and he said they were all taking all their clothes off, and so we thought we might as well," he said. "It wasn't until we saw the calendars that we realised that most of the men had kept some of their kit on!
"At the end of the day it's for a great cause," he added.
"We had quite a laugh doing it, and weren't nervous at all. It's something I'd definitely consider doing again."
Richard Green is also in the automotive industry – he is an MOT tester for Holbeach Tyres, and, like Mark and Andrew, had no worries about peeling off for charity.
"It was just a good giggle," he said. "I don't go the gym or anything, but I'm not shy, and so I didn't mind taking my top off. I'm partnered up with two kids, and my partner says she'll be buying a copy of the calendar. I'd do it again – it's for such a good cause."
Easing the burden of cancer patients
MACMILLAN helps people with cancer in all kinds of ways – in fact, one service which helps ease the financial burdens of people living with the disease is celebrating its first anniversary.
In its first year, the Peterborough Macmillan/Citizens Advice Welfare Rights Service has helped 200 people living with cancer claim 660,612 in benefits to which they were entitled.
Plus people affected by cancer have been awarded 16,435 in Macmillan grants to cover practical costs such as clothing, food, heating, bedding, and arranging a much-needed break.
Jean Broughton, pictured, of South Street, Stanground, has benefited from one such grant.
Aged 58, Jean was diagnosed with breast cancer in May this year. Before she had cancer she was doing two jobs, as a cleaner and in catering for a school, and has always worked to pay her way.
But she found herself having to stop paying her mortgage once she found out she'd need treatment for her cancer – this was initially for three months but then she had to extend the mortgage holiday for another three months when she knew she'd need chemotherapy as well as surgery.
Marian, the benefits adviser at the Macmillan Welfare Rights Service has helped her claim back 99 each time (twice) she arranged the mortgage holiday, as the bank charged her that for agreeing it.
The service has also got her Disability Living Allowance, and is also dealing with the council for her as she has to pay 63 a month council tax and can't afford this.
Jean said: "Macmillan has been marvellous, absolutely wonderful, they've done so much for me.""They are very thoughtful, helpful and supportive. No one wishes cancer upon themselves, you just don't expect it, and it's so difficult to cope with money once you've got it – you don't want to be worrying about it when you're feeling so unwell, but you do. It seems so unfair, I bought my house on my own for me and my daughter, brought her up here and kept our life going when things were difficult.
"I keep wondering, am I going to lose everything I've struggled for? If it wasn't for Macmillan's support, I don't know what I'd do."
If you have cancer and need the support from the service, call 01733 561864 or e-mail officemanager@peterboroughcab.org.uk
Macmillan Nurses
Macmillan nurses provide expert information, advice and support to improve the lives of people with cancer.
They may give advice and information on treatments, practical, psychological and emotional support, as well as assisting someone living with cancer control their symptoms and pain.
Macmillan nurses also offer support and information to families, friends, carers and local communities.
There are currently around 3,000 Macmillan nurses, most of whom are employed by the NHS. Their posts are developed in partnership with the NHS or other organisations and funded by Macmillan for a period of time, usually the first three years. After this time, the NHS or other partner organisation, takes on responsibility for managing and paying them, but Macmillan continues to educate and support the nurses.
For more information see www.macmillan.org.uk or call the Macmillan CancerLine on 0808 808 2020, which is free, and open from Monday to Friday, 9am to 10pm.
Wanting to do their bit for charity
JOSH Martin has got more sympathy for Page Three girls now he has posed in the buff.
"But at least they have the bodies for it!" he said. "We're just normal blokes. Sharon came in and asked the manager, Ryan Jones, if he'd like to take part, and I said I would as well.
"My two nans died of cancer, and they had a lot of help from Macmillan, and so I thought the calendar was for a really good cause. When it came to taking the pictures I was a bit nervous beforehand – and it was a bit weird to come to work and see my boss in his pants – but it ended up being quite a laugh."
Josh, 21, from Pinchbeck, said he and Ryan, who both work at Spalding estate agents Morriss and Mennie, had received quite a few texts from their female friends since the calendar launched.
"And we won't be able to forget posing for the calendar," he added. "As Donna in our office says she's definitely going to buy one of the calendars to hang up in our work kitchen!"
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