Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page. The following piece, written by Nan Spowart, tells our story.

A GROUP of brave women in a Scottish village are all set to strip off for an amateur production of Calendar Girls.

The West Linton women will be one of the first amateur groups in the whole of Britain to bare all for the production - but for them the famous story will be even more poignant as the husband of one of their cast is currently undergoing chemotherapy for cancer.

In a case of life imitating art, Jacqui Morrison will actually play the part of Annie, whose husband dies of cancer during the making of the nude calendar.

Jacqui (48) admits that playing the role will be hard but says it is worth it as the aim of the production is to raise money for cancer charities.

“I will find it difficult without a doubt and there are parts where I feel myself choking up but I think this will make it more real for everybody as a lot of people in the village know about my husband and they are all very supportive,” Jacqui explains. “There are so many people around here who have been affected by cancer that they understand what’s happening to us.”

Her husband, Ian (55) was diagnosed with bowel cancer just seven months ago after a routine test found abnormalities.

He was called into Borders General Hospital last October for a colonoscopy and was told he had cancer the same day.

“It was a bolt from the blue as he had no symptoms and is very fit and healthy,” says Jacqui.

The couple, who had been together for eight years, were due to get married this March but decided to bring the wedding forward because of the shock diagnosis.

“When this happened Ian said he wanted to get married as soon as we could manage,” explains Jacqui.

With bowel surgery scheduled for December the couple had little time to organise their wedding but amazingly managed to do it in a fortnight and got married at 11am on 11/11/2011.

“We didn’t ask for that time and date – it was just the slot the registrar had. We were very lucky and it was a fantastic day,” remembers Jacqui.

Ian underwent a major operation in December which removed a section of bowel but was up and about just days later.

“The surgeon, who was brilliant, said he recovered well because he is so fit and healthy,” Jacqui says.

Since January, Ian has been having chemotherapy to clear up any residual cancer cells but has been responding well and already has his seat booked for his wife’s performance in September.

He says: “One of the charities they are raising money for is Macmillan Nurses which is great as I have had fantastic care from them and I’m glad they are trying to give something back.

“I’m also lucky in that the cancer was caught before I had any symptoms – it just shows you how important these routine tests are and I would encourage everybody who has the chance to take them to go ahead.”

As well as having to cope with her emotions about Ian, Jacqui – and the rest of the cast – also have to get used to the idea of being on stage in the nude.

Some have been exercising frantically to get in shape but while there are a few nerves they are all determined to go for it so they can raise as much money as possible.

“We are all going to be as naked as we have to be but it will be done tastefully and hopefully there will be no slip ups!” says Jacqui.

“It isn’t the type of thing we normally do but it is for a good cause and I am sure we will have fun.”

Jacqui has been a member of Lyne-Up, the amateur dramatic society in West Linton, near Peebles, since she was in her twenties and said the group were very excited when they first found out that amateur groups were to be allowed to perform the play.

The professional production has grossed even more at the box office than the original film which tells the story of a local Women’s Institute who decide to strip off for a calendar to raise funds for cancer research after the husband of one of the members is diagnosed with the disease.

From September, amateur groups are being allowed to perform the play for the first time and so far 400 groups across the UK have been given the go-ahead to stage the show.

But while most other women will just be worrying about being naked on stage, the West Linton women will be concentrating on supporting Jacqui and Ian.

“Not many people would be brave enough to play the part of Annie when their husband is actually going through chemotherapy,” points out Deb Armstrong who is playing the part of Chris.

“It is going to be very poignant for her but Ian is very supportive and came with us to watch the professional production in Edinburgh which must have been quite hard for him considering that in the play John dies.

“We were not sure that Jacqui would want to play the role and we are all quite amazed that she decided to do it as it is a big deal for her. The wedding itself was very emotional and this production will probably be quite weepy too, although Jacqui and Ian are both very brave and are dealing with everything well.”

The group are raising money for the Margaret Kerr unit at Borders General Hospital as well as Macmillan Nurses and are considering doing a calendar just like the original Calendar Girls.

“Some of the men in the village did a nude calendar several years ago and raised £63,500 so the aim will be to beat that,” explains Deb.

The group will be advertising their production during the village’s Whipman Week in June when they will take part in the tug o’ war wearing bathrobes and a cheeky sign saying that if people want to see more then they should buy tickets for the play.

Due to be performed over two weekends, the group are hoping for a sell out and say that so far rehearsals are going well.

“It was actually really easy to cast,” says Deb (53), who is the local nursery teacher.  “Apart from Jacqui and me playing the bossy one, piano playing Cora is Sara Innes (44) who is the only one of us who can play the piano.

“Then we have the local cub mistress, Linda Gray (54), who is playing the part of Jessie who is the teacher and the posh one, Celia, is being played by Lucy Douglas (51) who is the poshest of all of us and actually went to finishing school.”

Other cast members are Dorothy Silver, chair of West Linton WI, as Ruth,  Jenny Beddoe-Stephens as Marie, Karel McCoy as Elaine with director Gill McKenna and producer Janette Blackwood.       

Deb predicts that interest will be high in the production.

“I think quite a lot of people will come to see some of the local well known ladies disrobed but the fact that we can raise money is more important than anything else so we are trying not to worry about showing off our bodies.

“I think we are all happy to shed any feelings of modesty along with our clothes because of the impact this will have.  After all it is not just us as there will be groups fundraising in this way up and down the country.”

Adds Jacqui: “We are all good friends and it feels very real – after all cancer is what happens to so many people all across Scotland and it does bring home to you what matters.”

The performance is on September 14, 15, 20,21 and 22.

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