Event write-up and Calendar Girls!!

The Bag Boutique and WI!

The Bag Boutique attended a WI event in Kegworth, Leicestershire on Friday 13th October and it was a shame that we didn't get to hear the inspirational speaker Tricia Stewart, one of the original calendar girls. Below is a little insight into Tricia Stewart and Calendar Girls if you didn't already know.

Tricia Stewart joined the WI in 1985, and had suggested an alternative WI calendar featuring the crafts of the WI but the girls would be nude. This became a reality in April 1999 when the Alternative WI Calendar was launched in memory of a close friend and in order to raise money for Leukaemia Research.

In 1999 the calendar sold 88,000 copies in the UK alone, a further 240,000 copies were sold in America; this success changed the image of WI!

In 2003 the film 'Calendar Girls' based on the story of the Alternative WI Calendar was premiered at the Odeon in Leicester Square. Helen Mirren played the role of Tricia Stewart and a second calendar was launched featuring 6 actresses from the film and 6 of the original girls.

Tricia Stewart set out to raise £5,000 but a phenomenal figure of close to a million pounds has been raised to date.

If only I had the chance to listen to Tricia on Friday as I think she would have been inspirational, as many people have said, I guess I will have to watch Calendar Girls on DVD instead!