Jane’s pals get their kit off for cancer

Florist Jane Thompson was struggling for ideas to help kick-start her fund-raising efforts when she decided to produce a calendar.

But she decided all the men featured – including her husband Jason – would be naked.

The 50-year-old used her connections in the wedding industry to find models, venues, make-up artists and photographers.

She then made the most of her talents to provide ‘tasteful’ flower arrangements to prevent the pictures getting too X-rated.

“I can’t run to save my life,” she said. “I have absolutely no skills that are useful to raise money in a normal sporty way.

“I was trying to think of things I can do that are useful to people.

“Then I thought: I know lots of gorgeous-looking men.”

And so the idea for a naked calendar was born.

Using seasonally-appropriate flowers and arrangements, she planned a series of pictures for each month of the calendar.

Jane, who lives in Staining, said some of the treatment she received when she had cancer was ‘ground-breaking’ and she wanted to give something back to the charities that supported her at the time.

She added: “I had cancer a couple of times, skin cancer and breast cancer. That was about four and a half years ago.

“I’ve had the all-clear and I’m perfectly healthy.”

Some of the treatments she received were developed using funding provided by Cancer Research UK. In return she enlisted the support of friends and colleagues to raise money for the charity.

The group, working under the name Get Your Kit Off For Cancer, has so far raised more than £3,000 for Cancer Research UK.

Jane holds regular ‘bake-off’ events at the headquarters of her business, Flower Design Events, on Whitehills Business Park. Each one typically helps raise around £150, she said.

For £10, people can go along to drink coffee and try a specially-prepared cake. Anyone who goes gets a copy of the calendar.

Friends have also helped raise money by taking part in a series of 10k races.

For details, and to donate, visit www.justgiving.com/Jane-Thompson2013