Bovey Tracey resident Kelly Bruce is taking a well earned breather after launching the Macmillan Cancer Relief South Devon Calendar 2004 at a special reception held at the Dolphin Hotel in the town on Tuesday evening.
Ms Bruce, who has lived all her life in the same house in Bovey Tracey, has, along with a group of fundraising friends, produced the calendar, which features photographs of residents who have all been directly affected by the disease.
Ms Bruce had the idea after deciding she wanted to do something a bit different in her next fundraising venture for Macmillan Cancer Relief - she has been fundraising for them for four years and before that she was involved with her local Imperial Cancer Research branch.
'It had to be tasteful,' said Ms Bruce. 'This is to help cancer sufferers and we were using the Macmillan logo, so we didn't want to do anything that would drag the name down.'
After approaching several locals who all agreed to model for the calendar, Ms Bruce set about raising the necessary funds to finance the project.
'I had a table-top sale and bingo nights' she said. 'I then went to various local companies and asked them for sponsorship. Nine companies have sponsored different pages on the calendar. I asked Newton Abbot photographer Ian Ellis to take the pictures and he waived his fee. We then hired Wickham Hall for a day and had half-hour shoots running throughout the day. Wotton Printers from the Brunel Industrial Estate printed it and they were great – there were never any worries about making changes and they went through the whole thing with me.'
One thousand calendars have been printed but the way things are going, it looks like it won't be long before there is a second print run.
'We have sold 500 already and they have gone all over the world including Thailand, Canada, Wales, Scotland, Australia and South Africa' she declared.
Everyone involved with the production of the calendar was invited to the launch including all the models, the sponsors, Macmillan's country chairman Julia Tremlett DL, Macmillan's Devon fundraising manager Calvin Lovelock and Dr Felicity Parker from the Riverside Surgery, Bovey Tracey.
Julia Tremlett paid tribute to Kelly Bruce and her hard work for Macmillan during the evening.
'It is truly amazing what people will do for Macmillan,' she said. 'With the help of her friends Kelly has recently organised a week long house to house collection, a large garden party – on top of her regular bingo sessions – and now this. This calender is delightful and touching and epitomises all that the charity stands for and the people it seeks to support.'
Ms Bruce is self-effacing about her efforts. 'I want to thank every single person who has helped me with this appeal over the last 12 months' she said. 'The people of Bovey Tracey have come up trumps again – they are always there'.
The calendar costs £3 (£3.80 p&p) with every single penny going directly to Macmillan Cancer work in the area and it can be bought directly from Ms Bruce at 48 Priory, Bovey Tracey (01626 832162) or from the post office; Arnold's Hardware Store in Bovey Tracey; Ashburton Post Office; or Macmillan's Fundraising Office at 36 Tor Hill Road, Torquay (01803 215555).