A date with calendar girls

The event was held at Calan’s Micropub in Hebden Bridge where people gathered to see and buy the calendar and also to donate to the charity.

The charity was founded in December 2014 by Zinta Uskale and helps women in Lativia who have been diagnosed with breast cancer.

They organise trips to various exciting places in Latvia where participants donate money which goes towards counselling or physiotherapist sessions.

Zinta, who is originally from the UK, said: “Not many women in Latvia have access to counselling and psychotherapy due to the cost so that is what the Pink Train helps with.

“I was diagnosed with cancer in 2013 and know that these things are important in the recovery process.”

The colourful calendar is filled with women who have been through cancer and their family, friends and colleagues who supported them through it.

Jennifer Fairclough, of Hebden Bridge, and Zinta were good friends who unfortunately lost touch over the years.

They were then reunited around two years ago when Jennifer contacted Zinta as she was recovering from cancer and in July, along with ten other ladies, posed in true Calendar Girls style for the calendar.

The calendar photoshoot was held in July and the models had their hair and makeup done before getting in front of the camera.

A launch was held in October in Latvia to promote the calendar but because of Jennifer’s roots to Hebden Bridge the second launch was held there with three of the Calendar Girls, Jennifer, Miss October, Zinta, Miss April, and Gita Gintere, Miss July, who is a physiotherapist.

They were at the event selling the new calendars and sharing the Pink Train Charity’s story.

Zinta said: “We are the first ever Latvian Calendar Girls!

“The event went really well and I was touched by the amount of people who donated and bought the calendar.

“I don’t know if there will be another calendar as it was such hard work but I’m so glad that we were able to make this one a success.”