Thirty-nine ladies arrived kitted out in their fanciest dresses and took the stage at the Birmingham Rep theatre last night (15 October) for the official unveiling of the Ladies First Charity Calendar.

Behind the calendar is Ladies First Director, Tracey McAtamney, and her ambition to do something meaningful for her 60th birthday, while making a difference and uplifting women.

Supporting Tracey with work behind the scenes, from photography to PR and production, is her 'dream team': Bia Rodrigues-Perry, Amanda Chalmers, and Jane Collier, all of whom proudly shared their inspiration for taking part in the calendar alongside Tracey on the night.

At the heart of the project is a message about self-acceptance, confidence, and embracing life at every age.

Speaking at the launch, Tracey shared: "No matter how old you are, you should be that woman and appreciate who you are.

"We are either too thin, too fat, or it's the wrong time. Live your life, whatever age you are."

The project has grown into a group of 39 women of different ages, united by a shared aim to celebrate women and raise money for over 30 charities.

Yesterday's launch event began with welcome drinks as guests walked across a red carpet up into the mezzanine for live music and a bite to eat before the main event.

The evening's host, Paul Palmer, introduced several of the women involved in the calendar, including Sue Cressman, co-owner of Nailcote Hall Hotel.

Having survived breast cancer twice and undergone 17 operations in 18 months, Sue has dedicated herself to supporting women facing the disease and raising funds for vital medical equipment for local NHS breast cancer units.

Following her second diagnosis, Sue shared that she vowed to give back to the NHS teams whose care helped her recover.

The evening also saw a special guest appearance from one of the original Calendar Girls, Tricia Stewart.

Tricia was one of the women behind the calendar, which began in 1999 when members of the Rylstone Women's Institute posed for a charity calendar to raise money for research following the death of the leading Calendar Girl, Angelia, who lost her husband, John Bato, to non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Speaking at the launch, Tricia reflected on how the idea first came about, explaining that what began as a conversation and a bit of a joke eventually grew into a fundraising phenomenon.

The original calendar even went on to inspire the hit stage production and film Calendar Girls, starring Helen Mirren, as well as the musical written by Gary Barlow and Tim Firth.

Reflecting on the project's legacy, Tricia praised the women taking part in the Ladies First calendar, joking: "It's braver not to have seen your photos than to take your kit off...

"I knew it would cause a stir when we did it, but I didn't think it would last 27 years. It's fantastic that these girls, I call them girls because that's what they are. They are still very young. Our Miss January was 65 at the time we did the calendar. She's 93 now, and she'd still take her kit off to raise money for charity if we needed her to," joked Tricia.

Tricia further highlighted the importance of supporting Blood Cancer UK, the charity connected to the original Calendar Girls campaign, and wished the Ladies First team every success with their fundraising efforts.

Prior to the big reveal, the audience was treated to a behind-the-scenes video, produced by one of the calendar girls, Bia Rodrigues-Perry.

The video showcased some of the sponsors and women in the calendar, who shared their reasons for supporting the calendar, including the personal stories behind their chosen charities.

The evening ended with a special performance from singers Stacey and Tracey, who both also feature in the calendar.

The Ladies First Calendar is available to buy now. Visit here to find out more. Donations are also still being accepted via JustGiving.

Stay tuned for a special feature series on the Warwickshire Calendar Ladies, launching this Saturday, 17 October 2026.