2009 NWAA 'Bare in the Air' Calendar is launched!!

The North West Air Ambulance is being stripped down to its bare essentials to raise funds.

28 members of the public and air ambulance staff agreed to get naked and pose for the Charity’s new naughty but nice, ‘Bare in the Air Calendar’ on sale from Tuesday 30th September 2008.

Husbands and wives, and grannies and granddads from across the North West bravely dropped their drawers during an unusual photo shoot with the region’s emergency helicopter.

And the calendar will be revealed for the first time at a special media launch at the famous Cloud 23 Bar at Manchester’s Deansgate Hilton Hotel on Tuesday September 30th at 11.30am. Nearly all the ‘stars’ of the calendar will be present.

Parts of the aircraft and a variety of strategically-placed props were used to ensure no-one overdid their bit for charity! The photographs were taken at the end of July during the evenings, after the helicopter had finished its daytime shift.

It’s hoped sales from the calendar will raise vital funds for the service which operates 7 days a week, 365 days a year, but receives no Government funding whatsoever. The cost of keeping the helicopter in the air is £1.9 million a year.

The colour calendar costing just £5 is on sale in Booths Supermarkets throughout the North West, and on the online shop on this website.

One of the willing participants is Granada TV presenter Paul Crone who now becomes Mr December!

The 46 year old said, “It was so nerve-wracking taking my kit off, and trying to smile whilst being starkers - but it’s all for a good cause. I’m expecting huge amounts of fan mail from women…asking me to put my clothes back on!”
Award-winning photographer Kim Price was chosen to shoot the calendar and had the tricky job of putting the amateur models at their ease, and making sure nothing untoward was showing in each photograph.

The Bare in the Air calendar stars 26 ordinary people from Lancashire, Cumbria, Cheshire, Greater Manchester and Merseyside.

Charity Chief Executive Lynda Brislin said, “I’m so proud of these wonderful people who took the very difficult step of posing nude in front of a photographer, all to raise money for the air ambulance. We hope it’s going to be a tremendous success, and would urge people to buy one. It’ll certainly brighten up a kitchen or office!

“Without the continued help of the media who helped us in asking for volunteers for the calendar, and to Booths for selling them in their stores, this would not have been possible.”

The calendar will be on sale in the majority of Booths stores, log onto www.booths.co.uk for a list of stores from Tuesday 30th September.

Pete Newton from Booths says: “We are pleased to be able to offer our support to such a worthwhile cause. Booths is a regular supporter of the North West Air Ambulance and we are hopeful the calendar will raise much needed funds for the charity.”