Calendar girls bare all to support sick friends (From Wharfedale Observer)

Calendar girls bare all to support sick friends

10:00am Saturday 8th September 2012 in Local news By Annette McIntyre

They say life imitates art – and this is certainly true of a Yeadon production of Calendar Girls.

The original Calendar Girls of Knapeley WI posed nude for a calendar to raise money for medical research. And now the cast of the BrassNeck production are following suit.

Not only will they be recreating the tale of the feisty WI members on stage, but they are also producing their own calendar in aid of Angelo’s Angels, which raises money for Myeloma UK.

Angelo’s Angels was formed in 2007 by Angelo Clarke, a close friend of BrassNeck Theatre, after he was diagnosed with multiple myeloma – a cancer of the bone marrow.

Company chairman, Richard Lloyd, said: “A number of members of BrassNeck Theatre were rehearsing for a show with Angelo when he announced his news to us in the rehearsal room.

“Also, on August 3 2011, Peter Cohen, a member of the BrassNeck Theatre committee, was diagnosed with Myeloma too, and since then he has been having treatment, including chemo and many stays in hospital.

“We thought raising money for Myeloma through Angelo’s Angels was apt as all the money raised goes directly to St James’s Hospital, where both Angelo and Peter are being treated. The bravery and courage both men show is phenomenal, and everyone at BrassNeck is more than willing to do whatever they can to raise as much money as possible for such a fantastic cause so close to their hearts.”

The 2013 calendars will be on sale at every performance or by e-mailing contact@brassnecktheatre.com.

Since his diagnosis in 2005 at the age of 39, Angelo and a group of friends have raised more than £113,000 for Myeloma UK.