Calendar girl’s talking sense

Celebrity calendar girl Tricia Stewart will appear at Oldham’s Queen Elizabeth Hall next month . . . fully clothed.

Her Bonfire Night appearance on November 5 is at the annual Talking Sense event organised by Oldham Council.

It aims to raise awareness of the wide range of services for over-50s offered by the council and other groups such as Oldham Community Leisure and Age Concern Oldham.

Guest speaker Tricia Stewart was the driving force behind the alternative Women’s Institute calendar in Rylstone, North Yorkshire, on which the film and West End play “Calendar Girls” were based.

It showed how a group of over-50s WI members stripped off for charity calendar to raise funds to fight cancer, and became a world-wide hit.

Councillor Brian Lord, the council’s older people’s champion said: “Talking Sense is a very useful annual event that gives all our citizens over the age of 50 the opportunity to learn more about services which are available to them and get involved in the ‘Big Care Debate’ which is looking at the future of care.

“Being an older person should not be a barrier to the range of opportunities and activities that people can do and this is definitely not the case in Oldham.

“The council is committed to ensuring that all citizens have equal access to the services, opportunities and benefits available to them.”

As well as Tricia Stewart, there will be a performance from community dance company Spiral Dance and also a market place of information and representatives from a wide range of organisations for people to investigate.

The event is free and from 9.30am until 1pm, with lunch. Places must be booked in advance by calling 0161-770 8700.