Naked Calender That Really Packs a Punch

Naked calender that really packs a punch

10:30am Tuesday 11th December 2012 in News By Mark Taylor

Head coach John Houston

IT wasn’t just the gloves that came off one chilly Sunday morning at South Moreton Boxing Club.

Following the success of last year’s charity black and white naked calendar, gym members have stripped off again – this time in full colour.

And for the first time, women boxers as well as men have disrobed in the name of charity, to raise money for the Footsteps Foundation.

Head coach John Houston, 42 from Wallingford, is Mr August. He said: ”It was a very cold Sunday morning.

“The lads were giving each other a bit of abuse as you’d expect but it was really professionally done.

“Last year we had to beg and coax people to get involved but this year when we put the call out we had to turn people away it was so popular.”

Mum-of-four Sarah Griffths, 40 from Blewbury, posed for July. She said: “There are quite a few women in the club so having a few in the calendar shows that now.

“I was a bit nervous. Men just tend to get their kit off and run around the locker room but I just thought, I have had four kids, I’m 40 and I’m not in bad shape, so stuff it. “My teenage son didn’t speak to me for a while but we’re over that now.” The Footsteps Foundation helps children with neurological disorders. The club chose the charity because one of the members, Richard Hudson, has a five-year-old son Aiden who was born with cerebral palsy. Footsteps has helped him into a mainstream primary school.

A series of fundraising boxing shows by the club raised £16,000 for charity last year.

More Than Images Studio in Wallingford shot the images for the 2013 calendar.

Also stripping off was Julius Francis, a former British and Commonwealth Heavyweight Boxing Champion, who has fought boxing superstars Mike Tyson and Wladimir Klitschko. The 48-year-old from London is Mr December and the cover star.

He said: “It is weird seeing yourself naked on the front of a calendar but it was all in good taste for a good cause.

“I might well be sending one each to Mike Tyson and Wladimir Klitschko – they might be getting an early Christmas present.”

Clare Morley from the charity said: “The guys and girls do a great job of baring all and raising money and we really appreciate their continued support.”

 The calendars are £5 from the club and various retailers. For more, go to http://southmoretonboxingclub.com

ALL FOR A GOOD CAUSE

 THE Footsteps Centre in Dorchester-on-Thames helps children and young adults with neurological and neuro-motor disorders such as cerebral palsy and epilepsy.

 The charity was set up in 2003 by Pip Hoyer Millar from Newington near Wallingford after her daughter Minty was born with cerebral palsy. Pip was told she would never be able to walk by herself.

 A search for an intensive physio programme took them to Poland, where they found a piece of equipment called the Spider.

 When the treatment hugely improved Minty’s condition, Pip and two physiotherapists brought the Spider to the UK and set up The Footsteps Centre.