Wirral Arts: Calendars featuring local scenery raise cash for lifeboat

Nov 18 2009 by Matt Hurst, Birkenhead News

A PHARMACIST and administrator from Hoylake have produced two calendars featuring local scenes and familiar faces.

Jayne Welburn and Marianthi Lainas met on a city and guilds photography course and decided to put their new-found skills to good use to promote both Hoylake and West Kirby.

Under the titles “I love Hoylake” and “I love West Kirby’, the two distinct calendars follow the same template, with sweeping natural scenes, familiar locations and a selection of profiles of the town’s established faces – from butchers to lifeboat men.

Mother-of-two Jayne told Wirral Arts: “We found a lot of community spirit, people were really up for it and feeling positive.

“With all the good views of Hoylake and West Kirby, and the involvement of the local people, we hope it will really promote the area.”

All their own work, the pair had 250 copies of each calendar printed and approached shops in both towns to try and secure outlets.

Jayne, 38, said: “The timeframe has been quite difficult because we just took the pictures in a month and then got them printed.

“So it took a month and a half to get it together. We just decided after the course to start this project and get it out there. I’m really proud because in the day I’m a pharmacist and Marianthi is an administrator, so we’re not professional photographers.”

So far the duo have secured space in ten local stores, including Roberts Butchers in West Kirby, and Hoylake’s Bill Page Butchers and 3 Sisters fruit and veg.

The calendar is packaged in a CD-sized case, ideal for work or by the phone, and Jayne and Marianthi could be on the verge of ordering reprints as sales have thrived in the last month. A donation from every calendar sold goes to Hoylake Lifeboat Appeal.

l Each calendar is priced £4.99, for more information, visit www.openspaceimages.com