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Member news: Banana Army’ bunch bare all for Blood Cancer calendar

A bunch of brave girls dubbed the Banana Army are baring all for a charity calendar.

Ten ladies from County Durham, who’ve all been affected by cancer, have embarked on an ambitious six-month fundraising drive to raise cash in support of Leukaemia and Lymphoma research.

They’ve already raised more than £4,000 in the last four months, with wacky stunts such as a three-hour Zumbathon swelling their charity coffers.

And now their eye-catching calendar is expected to raise thousands more!

“We’re just a group of friends with a desire to make a difference,” said Karen Everson, 34, one of the organisers, from Newton Aycliffe.

“Most of the girls involved in the calendar have lost family members or been touched by cancer in some way, so this is our personal tribute to being able to make a difference.”

The Banana Army’s calendar – called ‘Forget Me Not’, the flower used in the charity’s logo – is A4 in size and features sophisticated, demure and black and white shots provided free of charge by Melanie Kemp of Photography for Little People Durham.

It has also been sponsored by Hooker & Young and The Consultancy, with tanning and make-up provided free by the Tanning and Beauty Academy, and it has been approved and endorsed by Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research.

The nine other girls joining Karen in the calendar, mostly from Newton Aycliffe, are Jaime Hume, 34, Jules Baxter, 35, Natalie Bowker, 32, Julie-Ann Mavin, 35, Stacey O’Donnell, 23, Eleanor Wilkes, 34, Sharon Darter, 28, Emma Wilson, 33, and Andrea Byles, 29.

It can be bought online, costing £6.25 including postage and packaging, from www.bananaarmy2011.co.uk, with all proceeds going to Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Photography for Little People Durham .