News Rawcliffe men bare all in cancer calendar
A daring group of local men, including a former Goole Times journalist, have launched a bid to take the Christmas calendar charts by storm while raising funds to combat male cancer.
In what is thought to be the first calendar of its kind for male cancer, the men from Rawcliffe have bared all to help boost the Everyman Campaign's efforts to fund research into prostate and testicular cancer.
Each of the men taking part, who range in age from 29 to 54 years, have adopted poses from each of their individual professions and hobbies while naked.
Ben Pindar, who used to work at the Goole Times and is married to Goole Times news editor Jane Pindar, appears in the calendar as 'Mr June'. Ben is currently working at the Press Association in Howden.
The calendar, entitled Rawcliffe Men In The Raw, culminates with a cheeky picture of all the participants having a well-earned drink in their favourite local pub whilst wearing nothing more than a Santa hat.
Rawcliffe women Vicki Hookham and Victoria Hannah have spearheaded the ambitious project and recruited each of the brave models. They said: "We wanted to do something to support Everyman's worthwhile efforts but felt it should be something away from the normal fundraising events.
"After we hit upon the idea to follow the 'Calendar Girls' example we set about recruiting people in the area and persuading them to strip for the project.
"We won't say every one of them leapt at the idea at first but everyone involved has been brilliant and they've had a lot of fun putting the calendar together.
"Each of them has been incredibly supportive and we cannot thank them enough as without their guts, good humour and patience this calendar wouldn't have been possible."
Featured in the calendar are: landlord of the Jemmy Hirst at the Rose and Crown pub; Simon Hicks; owner of the Sharp hairdressing salon; Tony Hookham; local musician Billy Auld; golf fan Jeremy Triffit; journalist Ben Pindar; Mick 'The Dyker' Hayward; owner of Pets Pad, Graham Fowler; Rawcliffe Postmaster Gary Brown; owner of BLAC Electrical and motorbike fan Andy Baker; local farmer Paul Blacker; and local builder Mark Rodwell.
A host of local companies and people have also pledged support to help ensure every penny from each calendar sale can go to the Everyman Male Cancer Campaign. Support has been given by the Goole Times; Drax Power Ltd; Sharp Hairdressing; TIMLOC Building Products; BLAC Electrical; Mike Hessay at Darrington Golf Club; Carol and Robert Young, Shaun Spooner and Gillian Dickinson; Cath Sanderson; photographer Joel Ricketts; and Sarah Mann.
Licensees of the Jemmy Hirst at the Rose and Crown on Rawcliffe's Riverside, Jane and Simon Hicks, also scooped special praise from the calendar organisers for allowing the men to be photographed inside their pub and also appearing in the publication. The organisers added: "We have received invaluable backing from a host of local people and companies and thanks must go to them as we now hope to be able to raise at least £1,500 with their support.
"Awareness about testicular and prostate cancer is still much too low amongst men and if this calendar can help save just a few lives then it has all been worth the effort."
Charlotte Muskett from Everyman said: "It's a brave thing to bare all in front of the camera and Everyman is extremely grateful to all the men of Rawcliffe who took part. All money raised from the calendar will help to fund research to improve diagnosis and life-saving treatments for prostate and testicular cancer."
Models and organisers are also uniting once again to officially launch the calendar at the Jemmy Hirst pub, on Riverside in Rawcliffe, on Saturday, December 2, at 6pm. All are welcome and the calendar will be on sale.
* The calendar, which costs just £7.50, will be on sale at the Goole Times on Boothferry Road in Goole; Rawcliffe Post Office; The Jemmy Hirst; Pets Pad in Rawcliffe and Sharp Hairdressing on Bridge Street in York from Monday, November 27. It is also available by contacting rawcliffemenintheraw@hotmail.co.uk
Published on 23rd November 2006 in News.
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