DONNA Young from Launceston is among those who have helped to raise over £3,000 for the Chestnut Appeal for Prostate Cancer, by taking part in the UK Calendar Girls competition.

Donna was thrilled to have made it through to the grand final in Bristol, which she attended on August 29.

To do this she beat scores of other applicants in a text vote round, and made it through as one of the 80 finalists. The finalists then had to vie for one of twelve calendar spots.

Donna didn’t make the calendar at the final, but said: “I’m so grateful to have made the top 80 in the first place. Out of over 1,000 girls who entered the competition, down to 80 is pretty amazing.”

The Calendar Girls concept was launched in January 2006 by Myles Lockwood, a publisher and print broker in Plymouth. The idea derived from a concept he came across walking through New York City’s Times Square in November 2005.

Myles saw an opportunity in the market and decided to create a local competition for men and women looking to break into modelling, or even try the modelling industry without the rigmarole and cost of having to create a portfolio or wait to be noticed by bonafide modelling agencies.

On top of this he decided to donate proceeds from the sales of the calendar to cancer based charities after losing his mum Wendy Lockwood to cancer after a 20-year long battle in February 2000.

Originally named ‘Plymouth High Street Girls’ the first calendar struck a chord with local businesses and media right from the minute it was announced. Within a matter of months more than 400 local applicants, people and businesses were backing and supporting the calendar and the cause.

Today the popular competition has now expanded from Plymouth, Bournemouth and Bristol to all of the UK under the name of UK Calendar Girls with casting days in Bristol, Plymouth, Cardiff, Watford, Birmingham, Nottingham and Leeds.

Through the competition, Donna and the other participants had to promote themselves as much as possible, all the while raising money for the Chestnut Appeal, for prostate cancer.

Donna was one of those taking part at the very start. She first took part to gain confidence, after she was bullied at a young age, but unfortunately she said she faced ‘backlash’ taking part in the competition the first time around.

This time, though, Donna took part with a strong group of friends behind her, and it has inspired her to take part again next time.

She said: “I’m going to do it again next year and do bigger and better. It’s given me the confidence to do more photo shoots ready for next year. The whole experience from start to finish has been amazing and the whole team have been so supportive.”

Donna and her fellow finalists did not come away empty-handed — they were all given timepiece necklaces that were donated by cancer patients.

For more information on the competition, visit https://ukcalendargirls.co.uk/