Female staff and regulars of The Driftwood Spars in St Agnes caused a stir this summer, as they stripped off for a series of photoshoots in various locations in and around the popular pub.
Inspired by the hit film ‘Calendar Girls’, their baring of all was in aid of charity, and in memory of loved ones lost over recent years to cancer.
The calendar, featuring 12 staff and long-standing customers of ‘The Drifty’, has just been released this week, with all funds going to the Sunrise Appeal to improve oncology facilities at Treliske.
Twelve local businesses, including Mount Hawke Village Stores and Sevenmilestone Garage, have sponsored a page of the calendar each, covering production costs and allowing every penny to go directly to the appeal to raise money to buy new state-of-the-art equipment for the Sunrise Centre.
Landlady Louise Treseder, who has been at the helm of the independent freehouse in Trevaunance Cove for over 12 years, has made it her business to preserve the pub as a hub for the community. She explains: “Nurturing community spirit and resilience is part of our role as a pub at the heart of our village. Every year we choose a local charity to raise money for throughout the year, hosting various events and contributing 10p for every pint we sell of our house ale ‘Spars’.”
Louise continued: “We’ve lost several of our regulars to cancer over the past few years and its hit us all hard, so this year we chose the Sunrise Appeal. This project was a way of bringing people together to do something positive and to create a lasting legacy.”
Shot by photographer Verity Westcott, the calendar is now on sale at the pub, in local shops and online through The Driftwood Spars Brewery.
Katy Slater lives in St Agnes and lost her father last year and mother-in-law earlier this year to cancer. Katy explained: “I loved being part of this project – the feeling of doing something positive for others facing cancer is very comforting. Even though I have never had any body confidence, I was totally unconcerned about the photo shoot! It has been great fun for a great cause with great friends.”
Georgie Storey, HR & Finance Manager at The Driftwood Spars, was instrumental in making the project happen having lost her own father to cancer recently. She commented: “Doing this was a way of remembering our friends and family and doing something brave to show our love for those people we’ve lost. It’s nerve-wracking thinking that it’ll be on a lot of walls all next year, but a fitting reminder of why you should make the most of every day.”
Landlady Louise admitted she was “completely terrified” at the release, but called on everyone to buy a copy: “We really hope that people get behind the calendar and support us by buying lots of copies for family and friends. It’s a great stocking filler and a good gift for people who love St Agnes – locals and visitors alike. We’ve included significant dates for The Driftwood, like the Beer Festivals and Fireworks Night, so it really is a celebration of the spirit of the whole village.”
Copies can be purchased from The Driftwood Spars, local shops and online at https://www.driftwoodsparsbrewery.com/collections/buy-beer-online/products/driftwood-spars-charity-calendar