This September, Titchfield Festival Theatre welcomes to the stage Calendar Girls, based on the original movie picture. The play will also be a fundraiser for two cancer charities: Waterlooville based The Rowans Hospice and Blood Cancer UK. Money collected at each performance will be donated to the causes.  

Before rehearsals started in the spring, Calendar Girls cast members were asked to choose which charitable organisations they wished to support. TFT is pleased to share with you the personal stories behind their selections, reflecting the excellent work undertaken by both charities to help people and their loved ones affected by cancer.

Rowans Hospice

“Not a person in the world has been untouched by cancer. My family has had personal experience of end-of-life care and we couldn’t have got through it without the support of The Rowans Hospice. I can’t praise them enough… I’m a huge supporter of the hospice.” - Jo Elrington (who plays Jean Morgan, WI member)

“Not only did the Rowans provide my Dad 'Danny Daniel' with such incredible end of life care, but they also enriched his final few years by welcoming him into their choir and providing an ‘angel’ called Annie to provide both my parents with support.

“When, end of life care was needed, the Rowans Hospice provided my dad and all our family a home from a home, not just providing support and care to my dad but to my Mum, myself and brother too, taking away many of the physical and mental burdens and worries we may have felt should we have been caring for him at home.

“The week my Dad spent as an inpatient during his end of life care was precious, we all laughed, we all cried and most importantly we were all together. The staff at the Rowans could not have done more for us and were so respectful of all our wishes. As a society we don't like talking about death, but I can honestly say the Rowans made my Dad's death everything he wanted, peaceful and surrounded by family, friends and laughter and I smile whenever I think of his final week and that is because of the angels at the Rowans, many of whom are volunteers.

“The support from the Rowans did not stop there, they kept in contact and even provided myself with one-to-one, in person counselling, when months down the line I was finding it tough and difficult to grieve. I will be forever grateful for the Rowans Hospice, always in their debt and I just could never thank them enough.” - Kate Daniel (Lesley Pennell, WI).

Blood Cancer UK

“When we considered which charities we wanted to support for this show we wanted to carry on the great work that the original Calendar Girls started. Their story touched so many people and we are honoured to get to share it once more. Without their incredible hard work to raise money in memory of John Baker we wouldn’t be here putting this show on.

“We wanted to honour the memory of John and carry on the Calendar Girls work to raise money for their chosen charity Blood Cancer UK (previously known as the Leukaemia Research Fund). I know John’s wife Angela still supports and raises money for the charity. We thank Angela and the other Calendar Girls for sharing this with us and the world. And if we can contribute even a small amount of money to help continue the work to find a cure it’s worth it.” - Franchesca Nicholson (Director of Calendar Girls). 

Calendar Girls performs from 6 – 16 September 2023 in the Oak Theatre, St Margarets Lane, Titchfield. For more information including booking tickets please go to http://titchfieldfestivaltheatre.com/ or contact our Box Office on 0333 666 3366.