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Much Wenlock young farmers get kit off for charity
Friday 25th June 2010, 1:22PM BST.
The December picture from the Much Wenlock Young farmers' calendar
Young farmers in Shropshire have bared all for a racy calendar to raise hundreds of pounds for charity.
A dozen members of Much Wenlock’s Young Farmers Club, aged between 18 and 21, featured in the calendar which went on sale in December last year.
Since then sales have helped raise nearly £500 for Help for Heroes, who were presented with a cheque by the farmers, fully-clothed, this week.
The idea for the calendar came from Rebecca Drakeford, 20, from Much Wenlock.
It features members of the club naked while carrying out various everyday activities on a Shropshire farm, including mucking out, fixing the engine on a 4×4 and lugging hay in a tractor.
Miss Drakeford said 50 calendars had been snapped up in all and the fund had been boosted by a local “muck lug” where bags of manure from Manor Farm in Stanton Long were sold.
“We thought it would be great fun to do this calendar and, after seeing the fantastic work of Help For Heroes, we all felt that the money we have raised would really make a difference,” she said.
Members of the young farmers’ group presented the cheque to Ian Sawers, the Shropshire co-ordinator for Help For Heroes, at a club meeting at Harley Village Hall.
Speaking afterwards, Mr Sawers said: “It is wonderful to see young people get behind the charity and I am delighted to have accepted this cheque on behalf of Help For Heroes.
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OK i am aware it is for charity and well done for raising the money and giving it, however calanders? it is old hat now, very old hat and yes i am aware farmers are about 15 years behind the rest of us due to the insular nature of the work they do but come on guys try and be the first to do somthing different and new.
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As always, you are so right Andrew – they should be ashamed of themselves. I’m sure it is better not to raise money for a good cause rather than commit the evil crime of doing something that has been done before.
It could have been worse – at least they didn’t offend people by holding a sponsored walk.
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Well Rob if they had tried something new then they may well have raised more money as people get bored of the same old tired ideas being rolled out for charity as donations and getting sponsorship proves at the moment.I actualy congratulated them on raising the money however.
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Well Andrew, at least they are doing their bit for charity. When was the last time you gave £500 charity? Good on them I say!
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Well John we actually organised a sponsored walk last year for a national charity and the year before that organised 3 sponsored walks. I always put my money and energy where my mouth is John.
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SPONSORED WALKS??? – how terribly “old hat”.
Why not sponsored chainsaw juggling, or underwater hang gliding?
…and you’re having a go at the young farmers?
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I can see the headlines now: Brave man, Andrew Finch, organises excellent way to raise money that has never been seen before, a Sponsored Walk. Whoop-e-dooo!
I know for a fact Young Farmers raise a hell of a lot of money for charity by many different ways! Our local club spends days bagging up muck (That is farm yard manure for you townies) and sells it to the general public….a damn sight more hard work goes into that that organising a sponsored walk!!!!!
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Well Robbie it is down to marketing if it is a product it needs to be new and fresh as you need to sell the product, If it is a walk etc you need individuals to get sponsorship FAR EASIER now toddle of Robbie and play with your friend pat.
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Eh?!?!?
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4 sponsored walks in 2 years…Show some imagination finchy and you might raise some more money.
At least these folk made it into the paper.
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Andrew, do you sometimes “spout off” just for the sake of it?
You have been “weighed and measured” on this one, so accept defeat gracefully.
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Oh dear Andrew, it would appear you have made yourself look a bit silly..you mock the farmers for doing a naked calender, and suggest something different and new, then admit to doint a ground breaking walk ! and I was just starting to enjoy your posts ! doh
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oh dear where have I mocked? where have I ridiculed? Well it could be that some have difficulty in accepting constructive criticism.
I believe I praised them for raising money for the chosen charity, however you need to be aware we are talking about two different things producing and selling a product ,and running an event. One due to being a product needs to change to encourage people to buy it the other relys on sponsorship.Take a chill pill guys. As a foot note to melon I do believe the walks were in a number of papers and other media outlets.
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Actually you mocked Rob in comment 2
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I’m sure the moderator will have access to the Shropshire Star archive and will be able to find the media hype surounding said walks..
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Well finch seems to have an opinion on all things thats up to him .To be fare to him I think he is missing the fun element of the calender and looking at it in a businessmans way hence the product comments . Come on Finchy stop winding the odd one on here up.
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That’s funny, I thought I’d read a story about some young people who’d gone out of their way to raise money for a very worthwhile charity.
Didn’t realise it was actually a debate on the Alan Sugar guide to flogging stuff!
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Well done chaps, a fine display of arse. I take my hat off to these young fellows for having a go, and raising a few bob for charity. Im especially impressed by the young boy towing the trailer, a loveley shot. yes. very good. Im all for this, it may well be “old hat” but is funny, it raises money, and we get to see some handome chaps in the buff. happy days. All the best with the fundraising. count me in for a donation.
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They could have named it the Much Wenchlock calendar but then I suppose that may have discriminated against the boys.
Perhaps Macho Wenchlock?
No, no those lads look way too sheepish.
What with the hot Wenlock stove and the prickly Xmas decorations they’re pretty heroic themselves really.
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Rubbish…
who wants to look at a load of pictures of ugly people? Might sell some to their family, but being farmers, they will have seen it all before…
Not newsworthy
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Oh Andrew, Stop being so pessimistic and grow up!
Any money raised for a worthy cause is worth it, and clearly although its been done before it still raised money. They’ve also found the courage to pose naked together, I’m sure you wouldnt do that would you?
It’s the 21st Century, not the 1900′s….
Captain Practical.
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here here, I jolly well would! i have no problem in removing my undercrackers and having my trumpet on display to raise some funds. Well said captain Practical, pehaps we should get together and design a calender ourselves?,
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Well all I will say haveing just browsed the calander, farmers must like the ladies with plenty of meat on them and able to lug a few bales.
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