‘Boulby in the Buff’ – Unique Calendar in time for Christmas

There’s something stirring at Boulby mine – and it’s not the usual day-to-day bustle of a busy, working polyhalite mine. It’s more a gentle rustle as some of the workforce take off their clothes and pose for the camera and it’s all for charity.

(L-R) Katie ‘October’ Robinson; Gary ‘January’ Stone; Rob ‘June’ Miller; and the man behind the magic, Communications Officer and photographer, Dave Adams.

Twelve men and three women from a wide cross-section of workers volunteered to bare all in aid of the ‘Boulby in the Buff’ calendar which is set to go on sale shortly to raise funds for the Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS)

The organiser is Katie Robinson, Boulby Communications Manager: “We’re suggesting that everyone interested pay ten pounds to the JustGiving page we’ve set up,” she said. “Plus, three pounds for postage if they can’t make it to the mine.”

The calendar is available to pre-order with prospective buyers having to provide proof of payment and confirmation of a UK only address for postage purpose to [email protected].
The target is to raise £4,000 to help keep the air ambulance flying throughout the North East, North Yorkshire and Cumbria. Their doctor-led critical care teams deliver vital treatment at the scene of the incident whether that is on a fell top, a roadside or in a city centre. The charity responded to 1,640 call outs last year alone, providing a service which can mean the difference between life or death.

Ben Sisson of GNAAS

Ben Sisson, specialist fundraiser for GNAAS, said: “It’s fantastic to have the support of ICL Boulby and see them fundraising for our charity in an interesting and different way. We rely entirely on public donations to survive, so we greatly appreciate the effort they have put in to produce a unique calendar which help raise funds for our charity.”

The calendar follows a tradition which started in 1999 when members of a Yorkshire branch of the Women’s Institute decided to undress for the camera to raise funds for charity after the husband of one of the members died of cancer. It sold 88,000 copies in the UK alone. Their story was turned into a popular British film comedy in 2003 with an all-star cast featuring Helen Mirren and Julie Walters.

There may be no Hollywood stars in the Boulby calendar but, when it comes to charity fundraising, there aren’t many that shine brighter.