Lancaster hostelry staff cavort for children's charity

The fashion for wacky calendars, started by the naked sunflower women of the Yorkshire WI, has finally reached Lancaster. The dedicated staff of JD Wetherspoon's (JDW) The Green Ayre led by their redoubtable manager and photographer Maxwell Finlay Smith, has got together and produced a calendar, "initially intended as a leaving present for a colleague,' according to Team Leader Chris Taylor.

But the youngsters (I use the term loosely) soon decided that the venture should be focussed on raising money to benefit CLIC - Cancer and Leukaemia in Childhood , says Chris. CLIC is the pub chain's national dedicated charity and, at the time of writing this, the appeal has raised a total of £517,976.66 to date.

After the idea was originally mooted barely a month ago, the staff decided to go their own way and do their own wacky thing without the benefit of management guidance. The result is impressive, though some might be disappointed that the ‘kit off' example of the sunflower ladies was not followed all the way. Some of us are just happy to be tantalised, and others will no doubt be relieved.

The calendar shows images of the staff in sundry guises on and off duty: ‘Man (?) at C&A', a pensive ‘Woman with Beer', a rather butch ‘Angry Man', ‘Bitches' (er, no, they look quite bonny actually), and a ‘Man with No Belt' (what is he doing in the kitchen?).

Whilst many of the shots were taken at work (including a wild man with a vacuous grin holding a barrel of beer in a cellar), some of the shots were taken by the Canal at The Water Witch. Some images are more fetching than others (you must evaluate which they are for yourself), whilst others show the demanding nature of the work in the establishment.

Some of the subjects are clearly in need of (i) a new life, (ii) a hair stylist, (iii), a psychiatrist (what is he doing with that golf club to the poor lassie?), or (iv) a serious jolt of motivation. Or all of these. Not my problem. I just want a quiet glass of wine …

The team hopes to raise a total of £500 from this initiative, and the funds amassed will allow the pub's five-a-side team to go forward to the regional heats in Manchester on 4 September of the JDW national championships. It is hoped that this event will take the total raised well forward to its target of £1 million by the end of the year. You know you can do it …

This is an excellent and worthy idea from these young people. Go on, have a pint – or even a coffee (we prefer the wine) - and buy one. They're not a bad lot really …

Copyright © 18 August 2004 Michael Nunn