Fathers of a local junior rugby team have stripped off in the name of philanthropy to create a nude calendar, raising urgent funds for their club.
Reading Rugby Club’s Naked Tackle Charity Calendar features 14 months and 14 glorious rugby dads at home taking shots of a different kind.
The idea was born at the start of lockdown when Mike Rice, whose son Harvey plays for the under 15s team, found himself working at home in the altogether one morning.
Mr Rice, director of Circle Creative, a digital media company, decided to try and tastefully capture the moment with an appropriate selfie.
Setting up his iPhone camera on timer on an adjacent wall, he snapped away and soon envisioned a few more varied shots making a whole calendar.
He said: “I came up with the idea while working, naked, and then thought how we could raise the spirits of our Under 15 rugby community at the club during lockdown.
“I needed recruits, I looked no further than the dads of our U15 sons’ rugby team, Reading RFC.
“I knew these dads would see that we could raise money for our club, who have been hugely affected by the COVID crisis.
“Some dads were a no when the idea was put to them, but most jumped at the chance to tastefully show off their (rugby) balls.”
The calendar boosted community morale, but also vital funds for the rugby club, which has suffered financially during the pandemic.
“Our income is through memberships and training sessions and we’ve had an incredible loss of revenue during lockdown,” Mr Rice said.
“This is giving something back, we’re helping the club.”
The cheeky chaps who took part embraced getting their kit off and made it a lockdown family activity:
“We had the best time doing it, we made a memory and generally raised the mental health of all, for me that’s the win,” said Mr Rice.
“The fun that was had by all dads, with their wives taking photos and children getting involved ridiculing their dads.
“It brought so many laughs and smiles during what is a very difficult stressful time for those with families in lockdown, and for a dad like me who has limited time with family.”
He said that the calendar has been a real hit, and not just because people are desperate to turn their back on 2020 as a year.
“Now, these are flying off the shelf and in turn supporting the club who have offered our children so much over the years,” Mr Rice said.
“Some of the boys have been there since they were six, and now they’re bigger than their dads. They love this club. It’s more than just a game, it’s a lesson in life.”
The dads’ ballsy antics are proving popular, as more than half of the 100 printed calendars have been sold: “We’ve raised £1,000 for the club so far, who have been hit hard by Covid-19 – much of their money comes from general attendance at the clubhouse for training and match days.”
Not all reactions were positive, some sons and daughters were less than impressed:
“My son Harvey, who plays for the under 15s said it was a great idea, he was very supportive,” said Mr Rice. “Most of the boys were horrified.”
The club age groups range from under 6s through to adults, Mr Rice said:
“There are 50 boys in the Under 15s, it’s a very strong squad.”
