The ladies behind a charity naked calendar have apologised to a jogger who caught them in full pose for May – as they are “not sure he’ll ever recover!”
The Stead Hall Fillies calendar is on sale in aid of Manorlands Hospice in Oxenhope, in memory of Alan Fearnley, who founded Stead Hall Farm livery yard in Burley in Wharfedale, West Yorkshire, with his wife Sue.
Their daughter Hannah, who now runs the yard, said her father was very much loved and has been much missed since his death from cancer just over a year ago.
“Manorlands was amazing in the care and support provided to Dad in his final weeks,” she said. “We wanted to do something in Dad’s memory, but also to support Manorlands, which has struggled financially in recent times.
“It isn’t only Dad and our family Manorlands has helped, they have helped the family and friends of many of the clients at the yard; as a group we feel a close connection to Manorlands.”
Vicky Bye, who works at the yard and photographer Gill Allinson, who keeps her two horses at Stead Hall Farm, took the pictures.
“They asked me and I thought ‘Why not?’” she told H&H, adding that she and the models enjoyed the experience – as possibly did the jogger.
“Everyone was posing, almost naked, round the gate, and we were trying a few different poses, and they all had their backs to the footpath, and couldn’t see the jogger,” she said. “I had them in a really good pose and I didn’t know whether to tell them because I wanted the shot. I couldn’t stop laughing, they were waiting for me to take the picture and I finally said ‘I can’t!’
“They all jumped out of their skins, and were trying to hide and his eyes were out on stalks – “I just said ‘evening’, and he said ‘evening’, and that was it – I’m not sure if he’ll ever recover!”
Gill said the shoots were a good experience for everyone.
“There was one lady who said she’d gallop naked round the field and I thought ‘Really?’” Gill said. “She used to be a life model, and she just took everything off and went galloping round the field. There are footpaths dotted about, and there was a vehicle coming up one of the lanes, as she was galloping about totally and utterly stark naked – it was hilarious.
“And for some of the ladies, it was a big thing, one in particular was very shy, but they all went away with three tasteful pictures of themselves that they’d never have had otherwise. Everyone seemed to think it was a good experience, as well as raising the money.”
The target was to sell 100 calendars, which was achieved in a week, and more had to be ordered, which are available online.
Hannah Fearnley said: “We want to do what we can to enable Manorlands to carry on providing the invaluable service that is so needed that we and others have benefited from.”
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