Naked builders make a date for cancer charity in Blackpool

The burly boys from Create Group have built many high profile projects across the region including Blackpool’s Hampton by Hilton, but now have stripped for action in aid of Prostate Cancer UK.

Although overalls are nowhere to be seen, the safety conscious firm has made sure the lads have kept their helmets and rugged boots on.

The fun team-building photoshoot for the calendar in Manchester gave 22 brave staff of Create Homes, Create Developments and Create Construction, a chance to do something positive to raise awareness of prostate cancer and for some of them, give something back for the care their own family members received when they had been ill with this and other cancers.

Currently one man dies every 45 minutes from prostate cancer in this country - that is more than 11,500 men a year and by 2030, it is set to become the most commonly diagnosed cancer of all in the UK.

Gill Mathison, director at Create Group said: “We are so thrilled that so many of our brave colleagues bared all (well almost)for such a fantastic cause! By drawing attention to prostate cancer in this fun calendar, we hope we can help to save lives in the Construction Industry and beyond.”

Paul Mathison, chief executive said: “I’d like to thank the lads so much for taking part in the photoshoot and our marketing team who put the calendar together. Many of them have personal stories of how the disease has touched their lives and it was very important for them to contribute.

"I have also seen the impact cancer can have and everybody should help to fight this.”

So far the cheeky calendar has raised more than £2,000.

Gabriella Bailey, head of community fund-raising at Prostate Cancer UK, said: “We’re so grateful that Create Group decided to create this fun calendar to help raise vital funds for Prostate Cancer UK.

“The money raised will help us fund research for real change, from more effective testing to better treatments.”

Anyone wishing to chip in to help the fundraising drive can visit Create Group’s Justgiving page at https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/create-group-prostate-cancer-calendar

The nude calendar fund-raiser was made famous by the Calendar Girls from the Rylstone Women’s Institute who raised money for leukaemia research and whose story was made into a hit film.