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After the death of a much-loved husband, a Yorkshire Dales group of Women’s Institute ordinary women decides to do an extraordinary thing.

Led by Katie Melia’s Chris and Alexa Chaplin’s Annie, the friends vow to make an artistic nude calendar for a cancer charity, but discover that upturning preconceptions is a dangerous business, leading to emotional and personal ramifications that no-one could anticipate.

Katie Melia’s Chris and Alexa Chaplin’s Annie, right, in rehearsal with Sandy Nicholson’s Jessie in York Musical Theatre Company’s Calendar Girls The Musical.

Yet their bold front brings each woman unexpectedly into flower in a tale that became a global phenomenon, spawning a million copycat calendars, Nigel Cole’s 2003 record-breaking film, Tim Firth’s stage play and Firth and Barlow’s musical (premiered under the title The Girls at Leeds Grand Theatre in November 2015).

Matching Chris and Annie’s friendship, Katie and Alexa have been friends since 2010. “We met when appearing in York Light Opera Company’s Crazy For You,” says Katie.

“We last worked together in Disenchanted, doing it for the second time last October,” says Alexa.

“That time it was for Steve Coates Music Productions, which was cast and directed by Katie. We both played the same parts that we did for Pick Me Up Theatre [Katie’s Snow White and Alexa’s Cinderella] and got two of the original Princesses back, having first done it with Robert Readman in 2016. We’ve done such shows as Little Shop Of Horrors and Oliver!, and Calendar Girls must be about our seventh show together.”

It turns out that Katie and Alexa are no strangers to a state of deshabille on stage. “We did Gypsy with Robert for Pick Me Up as two of the three strippers,” recalls Katie. “Neither of us had very much on in that one.”

Alexa was “very keen” to do Calendar Girls. Katie was “umming and ahhing”. “But only because it’s my 40th birthday on the Sunday after the show finishes, but when I realised who was going to be doing it, I thought, ‘I can’t miss out as it’s an amazing show with amazing people in it, like Alexa’.”

Addison’s cast also will feature Katie’s husband, who has stepped in to replace Ryan Stocks in the role of Annie’s husband, John Clarke. “That’s brilliant because they’ve been friends for 16 years,” says Katie, whose husband in Calendar Girls, Rod, will be played by Jack Hooper.

“It does help in this show because they’re such long-standing friendships, and we have to build something authentic and believable,” says Alexa.

Analysing her character Chris, Katie says: “She’s the more happy-go-lucky and feisty of the two, and she’s definitely Annie’s right-hand woman, keeping her grounded. She’s there as her relief, her support, her friend, with everything that Annie’s going through with losing her husband.

“You also see the vulnerable side of Chris through the struggles of her son, where she wants him to be everything she isn’t, but feels she is losing control of him because he’s being led astray by this rebellious girl when he’s on the path to be head boy.”

Assessing Annie’s character, Alexa says: “It’s a really emotional role. This is the most real character I’ve ever played and the most touching, and that’s quite a responsibility, but it’s also a fantastic stage role and I’ve been really enjoying the acting challenge of Annie being more of an introvert than Katie’s Chris, where she responds to Chris’s energy and humour. They’re quite a counterpart to each other, and above all Annie has to carry the show’s emotional load.”

Alexa lost a close friend to cancer. “But even without that, I’m moved sentimentally and empathetically by the music, so I find it very moving, because the script and lyrics are so well written,” she says.

“In the face of something tragic, you do still have to go to the supermarket and cook meals. It’s brilliantly observed [by Tim Firth] with ordinary life motoring on, amid the tragedy, with all the undercutting of emotion with wry quips being so Yorkshire.”

Katie adds: “John will make a quip at the most emotional moment, which is so relatable because that’s how we react to loss or pre-emptive loss.”

At the epicentre of Calendar Girls is the photo-shoot for the nude calendar. “I had a wobble a few weeks ago because of the reality of what’s required. You agree to do the show, knowing you will have to strip, then rehearsing in a dressing gown, but you’re aware there’ll be no clothing beneath that dressing gown when you get on stage!

“You also know that Chris is the one who champions doing the calendar and she’s the one who won’t be protected by props. I’ll just have some strategically placed ‘bunting’. I have to walk to the front of the stage, which I’d forgotten , so when it was all laid out to me, I thought, ‘I can’t do this’. At which point [husband] Peter said, ‘you signed up for it, it’s too late to back out now’!

“The thing is, the audience will not be judging on body type. It’s all about female empowerment.”

Alexa’s Annie will be “comfortably hidden behind watering cans and pot plants”. “Working together, it’s about thinking about sight lines and making everyone feel comfortable with the props and the solidarity of all doing it together: that teamwork and moral support,” she says.

York Musical Theatre Company in Calendar Girls The Musical, Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York, tomorrow (May 20) to Saturday, 7.30pm plus 2.30pm Saturday matinee. Box office: 01904 501935 orjosephrowntreetheatre.co.uk.

He explains that he was helped in his preparation by police transcripts of the rapist’s interviews, “which was so revealing”. But in Believe Me, Pope foregrounds the stories of three victims, played by Aimee-Ffion Edwards, Aasiya Shah and Miriam Petche. The latter portrays Carrie Symonds, future wife of Boris Johnson, who, as a 19-year-old student, was picked up by Worboys on the King’s Road and spiked. She later waived her right to anonymity and campaigned against his early release from prison. It was these women’s testimonies that, for the actor, were the “eye-opener, and a great gateway into investing into what he was like on those journeys in the taxi.”

A spokesperson for the country park said that the new machines are ‘quicker’ and “easier to use”

A Cambridgeshire country park has installed a new parking machine after customers complained about an “extremely harsh” system. Milton Country Park, situated just outside of Cambridge, has recently announced a new parking system “following lots of customer feedback”.

Visitors claim to have had received unfair fines from the previous system. One person wrote: “While the park itself is lovely, the parking enforcement is incredibly harsh. It’s a popular spot for families with young children, but the management shows zero leniency – staying even a minute past your paid time results in a £60 fine.”

Another stated: “Great park but horrible parking process. App is truly awful and machine gets busy. You can lose the first 15 minutes just trying to pay, and time starts the moment you enter the car park, not pay.”

A review on Tripadvisor said: “Whilst the park itself was fine, the main issue was the parking. I paid for two hours and left within that time, however, around 10 days later I received a parking fine claiming I had underpaid – which I hadn’t.”

The customer appealed the charge but claimed it was rejected. They said that because they had paid in cash, they had no evidence and ended up paying the fine.

A spokesperson for Milton Country Park said: “Following lots of customer feedback about the parking machine in our car park, we’re pleased to let you know that we have removed the old machine and have now installed two brand-new machines with a much simpler pay-on-exit system.”

They added: “The new machines are easier to use, quicker, and designed to make parking more convenient for everyone. Thank you to everyone who took time to share their feedback – we really appreciate it and are always looking at ways to improve your experience with us.”

The country park offers visitors a large green space and outdoor activities including paddle sports and open water swimming. The site contains a cafe, playground, bike track, woodland, and lakes.

Describing the site itself, one visitor said that is is an “incredible place to relax and enjoy with family and dogs”. Another described it as the “most beautiful park” they had ever visited.

A professional cleaner has shared a simple method for deep-cleaning an oven using items you can easily find at a supermarket

Ovens are typically among the most challenging appliances to clean in any household, as grease from cooking spills over and then gets baked onto surfaces whenever the oven is switched on again. What many people fail to realise is that grease undergoes a chemical transformation when subjected to heat, turning into a burnt, thick and incredibly sticky residue.

Grease takes on an almost varnish-like quality, meaning it can’t be shifted with water-based solutions — leaving you scrubbing away for hours with harsh chemical cleaners that sting your eyes. However, there’s actually a natural yet highly effective method to eliminate grease stains without forking out a fortune or wasting hours scouring away at your oven.

Jules Gordon, a professional cleaner and founder of Eco Cleaning Fairies, has shared that you can deep clean an oven “with a little bit of washing up liquid and a little shake of soda crystals.”

Washing-up liquid is formulated to tackle stubborn food marks on dishes and contains surfactants which help lift grease away by reducing its stickiness.

Soda crystals are powerfully alkaline, meaning they can dissolve the fats and oils present in grease, softening stains rapidly and making them far simpler to remove.

What’s brilliant about these cleaning products is that they’ll dissolve any food residue in your oven, allowing you to wipe everything down without spending ages on the task.

Using soda crystals and washing up liquid means you’ll never dread cleaning your oven again, as even the most stubborn stains can be tackled in around 30 minutes.

Soda crystals are widely available in the cleaning or laundry aisle of most supermarkets, though they may also be labelled as washing soda or sodium carbonate.

How to clean your oven

Start by filling a basin with hot water, then add a squirt of washing up liquid and some soda crystals. Remove all trays and grills from the oven. Place any smaller trays or grills into the basin and leave them to soak for 15 to 20 minutes.

For larger trays and grills, sprinkle soda crystals over them, dip a scourer into soapy water and give them a gentle scrub. Next, place them inside a clean bin bag and leave them to soak for approximately 20 minutes.

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It may seem odd, but bin bags trap moisture, preventing the soda crystal solution from drying out and allowing it to break down stubborn grease and grime effectively.

Meanwhile, fill a bucket with hot water, washing up liquid and soda crystals. Dip a cloth into the mixture and use it to wipe down the inside of the oven.

Start at the top and work your way downwards. Use a scourer to tackle any greasy patches, which should lift away with minimal effort.

Rinse the oven thoroughly with clean water and ensure it is completely dry before switching it back on.

Buff the oven door with a dry cloth, though some people swear by scrunched-up newspaper as a tried-and-tested method for polishing glass.

Take out the trays and grills and place them in either the sink or bin bags. Give them a good scrub with a scourer, and it will be far simpler to shift any stubborn marks.

Your oven will now be gleaming and entirely stain-free, meaning you’ll never have to dread cleaning it again.

Aldi has shared advice on how to stop bananas going brown and mushy as a food storage expert explains the right method to do it

Budget supermarket giant Aldi has shared vital guidance for banana buyers on how to prevent the fruit from turning brown and soft. The retailer, which was once again crowned the UK’s cheapest supermarket in April, has previously released tips aimed at helping shoppers keep their food fresher for longer.

It joined forces with food storage specialist Kate Hall to advise customers on the best ways to preserve everyday staples, including milk, potatoes and bananas.

The initiative follows research by the supermarket chain revealing that the average Brit discards £387 worth of food annually, with seven in 10 admitting they purchase food fully expecting to throw it away, reports the Express.

For those buying bananas, Kate recommends a straightforward method to extend their shelf life and prevent them from browning or becoming mushy — simply slicing them up and popping them into the freezer.

Kate said: “Let’s face it, we can’t always make banana bread every time a bunch gets past its best. But if you can spare 30 seconds to peel, slice and freeze bananas, you can avoid them going to waste.

“Just spread them out on a lined tray before freezing so that they don’t clump together, and then store them in a resealable freezer bag. These are perfect for making banana ice cream or chocolate peanut butter bites!

“You can use the same approach to save lots of other fruits and veggies too, for example, cucumbers can be sliced and frozen to be used instead of ice cubes, added to smoothies, or even blitzed into a refreshing sorbet.”

She added: “Using your freezer is such a simple way to press pause on your food so it doesn’t end up in the bin. Freezing food can help our budgets stretch further, and you can actually freeze a lot more than people realise. The trick is knowing the best way to freeze food and what to do with it after freezing.”

Luke Emery of Aldi UK said: “At Aldi, we’re committed to reducing food waste wherever we can across our supply chain, whether that be working with suppliers to cut down on waste, or marking down prices of items nearing their sell by date.

“Now we’re on a mission to help shoppers minimise their food waste too, while getting even more value from their Aldi groceries at the same time. It seems simple, but the research shows that freezing items still isn’t something many do – so we want to showcase just how easy that can be.”

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A Minnesota county prosecutor on Monday announced charges against an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer in the nonfatal shooting of a Venezuelan man during the Trump administration’s crackdown in the state.

The officer, Christian Castro, is charged with four counts of second-degree assault and one count of falsely reporting a crime in the Jan. 14 shooting of Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis, Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said at a news conference. A warrant was issued for his arrest.

“Mr. Castro is an ICE agent, but his federal badge does not make him immune from state charges for his criminal conduct in Minnesota,” Moriarty said, adding that Sosa-Celis never posed a threat and that her office received no cooperation from the federal government. “There is no such thing as absolute immunity for federal officers who commit crimes in this state or any other.”

Castro, 52, fired through a home’s front door and shot Sosa-Celis in the thigh after Castro and another officer chased a different man, Alfredo Alejandro Aljorna, to the Minneapolis apartment duplex where he and Sosa-Celis lived, Moriarty said, noting that both Sosa-Celis and Aljorna were legally in the U.S.

Federal authorities initially accused Sosa-Celis and Aljorna of beating an officer with a broom handle and a snow shovel during the confrontation. But a federal judge later dismissed the charges, and ICE and the Justice Department opened a joint investigation into whether two immigration officers lied about what happened.

In a statement, ICE said the U.S. Attorney’s Office is investigating statements from officers, who could face disciplinary action including being fired and criminally prosecuted. ICE called the Hennepin County attorney’s action “unlawful and nothing more than a political stunt.”

One of several cases being investigated

The Trump administration sent thousands of officers to the Minneapolis and St. Paul area as part of President Donald Trump’s national deportation campaign and considered Operation Metro Surge a success. But tensions mounted during the weekslong campaign, and the shooting deaths of U.S. citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal officers sparked mass unrest and raised questions about officers’ conduct.

Minnesota leaders and the Trump administration have clashed over who has the authority to investigate and prosecute federal officers for on-duty conduct, with the administration suggesting that state officials don’t have jurisdiction.

State officials, though, have said they don’t trust the federal government to investigate itself or hold officers accountable.

“There’s no modern precedent for what happened to the people here in Minnesota,” Moriarty said Monday. “So it requires a lot of us to dig in and look at ways to hold people accountable that we probably never thought we would be looking at in our careers.”

Hennepin County, which includes Minneapolis, has been investigating multiple incidents that occurred during the crackdown. Moriarty’s office last month charged Gregory Donnell Morgan Jr. with two counts of second-degree assault for allegedly pointing his gun at people in a car on a highway, but he is still at large. She said Monday that her office has made “substantial progress” in apprehending him.

The county is also investigating Good’s and Pretti’s killings, and sued the administration in March to gain access to evidence in the two cases and the one involving Sosa-Celis. Although Moriarty hasn’t charged anyone in either killing, she has said she’s confident her office’s investigations will bring transparency, even if doesn’t bring charges.

Video captured the Sosa-Celis confrontation

The cases against Aljorna and Sosa-Celis were dropped after a highly unusual motion from the chief federal prosecutor for Minnesota, U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen, who said “newly discovered evidence” was “materially inconsistent with the allegations” that were made in the criminal complaint and with evidence presented at their preliminary hearing. He said dismissal with prejudice, which meant the charges couldn’t be refiled, “would serve the interests of justice.”

Minneapolis last month released video showing the moments before Sosa-Celis’s shooting, captured from a distance by a city-owned security camera.

The video appears to show a person standing with a snow shovel outside the house, near the street, then retreating toward the house and tossing the shovel into the yard. This happens as a person being chased by another person runs up from the street, falls on the sidewalk, gets up, and keeps heading toward the house.

The three appear to scuffle near the front steps for about 10 seconds. The exact moment when Sosa-Celis is shot isn’t clear. A car with flashing lights pulls up, and another person walks up.

Castro fired from the yard through the home’s front door knowing there were people who had just run inside, Moriarty said. “The bullet traveled through the door and struck Mr. Sosa-Celis’s leg before making its final impact in the wall of a child’s room.”

She said her office would continue to prosecute the case even if Castro’s defense tries to move the case from state court to federal court. She also noted that a presidential pardon would not be possible for the state charges even if Castro were to be found guilty in a federal court.

___

Fingerhut reported from Des Moines, Iowa.

The family of a popular young woman have launched a foundation in her name to raise awareness of skin cancer after losing her to the disease.

Fiona Brady, 36, died at Altnagelvin Hospital on January 29, 2024 following a diagnosis of Stage 4 Advanced Melanoma. She was the loving partner of Gary Devenney, beloved daughter of Bernadette and Connolly, dear sister of Roisin and Gerald and godmother of Caleb.

Over two years since her passing, Fiona continues to be held closely in the hearts and minds of all who loved her.

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While Northern Ireland may not be renowned for its sweltering temperatures, skin cancer is the most common form of the disease here and accounts for over 31% of all cancers diagnosed. Over 4,000 people develop skin cancer each year and almost one in 10 of these are malignant melanoma, the most serious form.

Malignant melanoma rates have risen over the past 40 years from an average of around 100 cases per year in the mid-1980s, to over 400 in recent years, according to the Public Health Agency (PHA).

Protecting skin from damage is really important, but so is checking for changes to your skin or moles. Early detection and treatment of skin cancer can dramatically improve outcomes. Most cases of skin cancer are treatable, especially when caught early.

Fiona’s family and her partner, Gary, from Coleraine want to honour her memory by helping raise awareness of the disease and save other lives.

On May 1st they launched The Fiona Brady Foundation, to coincide with Skin Cancer Awareness Month. The aim is to shine a light on skin cancer awareness and ‘empower communities through skin cancer education and prevention initiatives’.

Gary told Belfast Live: “When I did some research, I discovered that there’s no specific registered skin cancer awareness charity in Northern Ireland.

“The NHS has a website called ‘Safe in the Sun,’ which lists all the precautions you can take etc, but there doesn’t seem to be any organisation here driving active skin cancer awareness campaigns.

“What we’re trying to do with the foundation is to make people aware of the fact that skin cancer is the highest diagnosed form of cancer in Northern Ireland above all other cancers.

“Not a lot of people realise that because we don’t live in a sunny climate but you have to be cautious all the time regardless.

“When there are awareness campaigns, they are largely during the summer, but skin cancer is not just a summer disease – it can happen all year round.

“People tend to think there is only a danger in the sun but that’s not the case,” Gary explained.

While Gary lost Fiona at only 36 and was “very young” to be affected by skin cancer, there is a misconception

“While it’s a cancer attributed to people slightly older – around 50 – there are still those below that age who are either falling away or not being heard of.

“One of the other reasons we’re launching this foundation is in the hope that when someone sees Fiona and how young, she was it will break that stereotype,” he said.

Gary also stressed that Fiona followed every precaution from doctors when it came to sun protection.

He added: “Fiona covered up, she used her sun cream, never went to sunbed, didn’t sunbathe or sit out in the sun.

“She loved being away on holidays, but she was also very cautious and wore the big floppy brim hats and a shawl over her shoulder so she wasn’t exposing herself. She took every precaution to the letter.”

The foundation has five aims, which includes highlighting the signs and symptoms of possible skin cancer.

The Fiona Brady Foundation also aims to encourage and highlight preventative measures and early detection as well as increasing access and awareness to dermatology services across Northern Ireland.

Fiona’s loved ones also want to provide a space where people and their families, who have been impacted by skin cancer, can come together to share experiences and support.

There’s also a long-term aim, with political support, of opening up information around services and policy development.

The foundation has been publishing stories on the foundation website and socials throughout the month of May from people affected by skin cancer, highlighting its impact.

Tips for protecting your skin from cancer

Check when you are most at risk from UV radiation. Levels of UV radiation are highest in Northern Ireland between March and October – even when it is cool or overcast.

If you are going outdoors, check what the UV index will be throughout the day. You can check daily and hourly UV index forecasts via most weather apps on your mobile phone.

Help protect your skin when the UV index is 3 or more by following this guidance:

• Stay in the shade between 11.00am and 3.00pm, when UV rays are strongest.
• Cover up with suitable clothing.
• Wear a broad brimmed hat and sunglasses with 100% UV protection.
• Buy sunglasses that have a CE mark or carry British Standard BS EN ISO 12312-1.
• Use sunscreen on exposed skin; an SPF of at least 30 and UVA 4 stars as recommended by the Department of Health and National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.
• Babies under six months should stay out of direct sunlight. If exposure to sunlight is unavoidable, apply a small amount of high protection sunscreen to exposed areas, such as the cheeks and back of the hands. For children over six months choose SPF 30 or SPF 50 to protect against UVB rays and minimum UVA 4 stars. Higher SPF will give more protection.
• Avoid sunburn by never allowing your skin to go pink or red in the sun. Sunburn doesn’t have to be raw, peeling or blistering skin; for people with darker skin, it might feel tender, irritated or itchy.
• Choose and use the correct amount of sunscreen – an adult needs six teaspoons distributed evenly on the body with an SPF of at least 30 and UVA 4 or 5 stars.
• Avoid sunbeds – they can cause over exposure to UV radiation.
• Check your skin at least once a month, be aware of any changes, and speak to your GP if you notice any mole changes, new moles or abnormal skin changes.

The Fiona Brady Foundation website is available to visit at https://www.fbfoundation.co.uk/ and on social media at The Fiona Brady Foundation.

Gary has also published a book of poetry, titled ‘I Talk to Trees,’ which will be available to purchase via the site, with all proceeds going to the foundation.

If you have a skin cancer awareness story and would like to get in touch with the foundation, please email: info@fbfoundation.co.uk.

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Two other teenagers were arrested last week

Two more people have been arrested as part of an investigation into a large fire in Haverhill. Suffolk Police were called by the fire service at 8.46pm on Tuesday, May 12, to the former Parkway Middle School on Park Road.

On Friday, May 15, two teenage boys, aged 14 and 15, were arrested on suspicion of criminal damage – arson not endangering life. Both of the teenagers were questioned at Bury St Edmunds Police Investigation Centre.

They were both bailed to return to police on August 7. This follows the arrests of a 15-year-old boy on May 13 and a 14-year-old boy on May 14. They were arrested on suspicion of the same offence. Both were bailed until June 22 and July 27 respectively.

Suffolk Police are still appealing for information about the fire. You can report anything through the force website quoting Crime ref: 37/27212/26.

You can also call 101 if you do not have access to the internet. If you want to report anything anonymously, you can call Crimestoppers on 0800555111.

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