MORE THAN decade after first taking part, a lady from Launceston hopes to be one of 12 women selected for the UK Calendar Girls competition.

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’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.

Donna Young, from Launceston, was one of those taking part at the very start, and is taking part again this year, hoping to get through to the grand final on August 29.

To do that, though, she will have to be successful in the next part of the competition — a text vote.

Donna said: “Right at the beginning I wanted to basically gain a lot of confidence after being bullied at a young age. I never felt good about myself.”

Unfortunately, Donna said she faced ‘backlash’ from taking part in the competition the first time around, but says this time she is taking part with a strong group of friends behind her.

She added: “I think it will be more positive. I have a lot of good friends and family around now that support me with what I’m doing.”

Through the competition, Donna and the other participants will have to promote themselves as much as possible to try and get a spot alongside around 80 other girls from across the UK in the final, all the while raising money for the Chestnut Appeal, for prostate cancer.

Text voting went live on Friday, June 8. To vote for Donna, text UKCG 110 to 82727. Texts cost £1 plus standard network rate. Remember to put a space between UKCG and 110. Anyone who votes will get a confirmation text saying thank you for voting.

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