Trouble flares over fireman's charity calendar shoot

Fundraising | 1 Nov 2007

Hot water is not something normally associated with firefighting, but it’s what one former firefighter landed himself in when he attempted to help raise money for Help the Aged.

Berwyn Jones, who was a full-time fireman for 31 years, agreed to lend a hand – and the rest of his body – to the production of a calendar in the now-famous ‘Women’s Institute’ vein.

He posed naked next to a fire engine, with just a jet of water protecting his modesty.

However, trouble flared when the assistant chief of the North Wales Fire and Rescue Service found out about the photograph.

Paul Claydon sent a memo – supposedly confidential – to all fire service staff, warning them that “facilitating or condoning such representations involving service personnel, appliances and equipment shows poor judgement and a disregard of the core values of the service in valuing diversity”.

Images that perpetuate the “Jack the lad or cheeky chappy” image of traditional firemen are not acceptable in modern times, Claydon said.

Jones, who had apparently obtained permission for the shoot from the fire station manager, was unimpressed. “This is very poor judgement by a senior fire officer, and it’s very sad,” he told the BBC.

“I think the public will be on our side and this publicity could actually sell a few hundred extra calendars – so please thank him very much from me.”

Claydon attempted to defend his memo by stating the service was striving for a “diverse workforce” that represented all the communities it serves.

That’ll include those with and without a sense of humour, then.

Directory: Help the Aged

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