'Moral judges' refuse calendar money

The calendar imitates the saucy postcard genre

Health officials in West Yorkshire have turned down thousands of pounds raised for cancer patients from sales of a saucy calendar.

The money offered to an oncology unit in Huddersfield was refused because the calendar was considered offensive to patients.

The Kirkburton Liberal Club raised £3,000 with their calendar after three of their members were diagnosed with cancer.

John Ruttle, a member of the club, said: "At first I thought it [the refusal] was a joke, I thought somebody was having us on.

They haven't even seen the calendar, are they the moral judges of Huddersfield?

John Woodhead, Huddersfield Breast Cancer Appeal

"I was really mad, it just amazes me that an administrator somewhere just cannot see the bigger picture when we were trying to raise money which is desperately needed.

"It is just political correctness gone crazy."

In a statement, the Kirklees and Calderdale NHS Trust said. "Whilst very grateful for the offer, the calendar runs the risk of causing offence to very vulnerable patients."

John Woodhead, Chairman of the Huddersfield Breast Cancer Appeal, a charity which funded the setting up of the oncology unit in the town, said: "I am absolutely staggered.

"They haven't even seen the calendar, are they the moral judges of Huddersfield?

'Cheeky caption'

"At the end of the day, it was people who have been affected by cancer which have actually made this calendar."

The calendar is on sale in shops in the village of Kirkburton.

Fundraiser Gillian Messenger said: "The feel of the calendar is tongue-in-cheek, a very cheeky calendar.

"Each month it has a man and woman on, in various stages of clothing and each one has a cheeky caption underneath."

The Kirklees and Calderdale NHS Trust has offered to meet the group to discuss the matter.

Ms Messenger said: "We have had a local hospice that will actually take the money, but as a group we have had a discussion and we would still like at least half of it to go to the oncology unit.

"We are hoping they will change their mind."