 |  |  | | | FOLLOWING IN MUM'S FOOTSTEPS | | | | |
| |  Matthew Baker and Tricia Stewart
Release Date: 12th September 2005
The son of Calendar Girl Angela Baker is proving that mum isn’t the only family member prepared to take on a challenge for charity, as he prepares to take on the 25th BUPA Great North Run this weekend (Sunday 18th September 2005).
Matthew Baker, 34, from Harrogate is keeping his clothes on as he takes on his fourth half-marathon in Newcastle, in the bid to raise at least £1,000 for Leukaemia Research, the charity his mum Angela and her friends supported with their now world-famous Alternative WI calendar.
All the wonderful work of the Calendar Girls is dedicated to the memory of Matthew’s father, John Richard Baker, who died from non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in July 1998 aged 54. During his illness John's friends raised money for leukaemia and lymphoma research.
John's wife, Angela (Miss February) and her friends who are members of the local WI decided they ought to do an alternative WI Calendar in the nude. The idea provided much entertainment for John throughout his grueling chemotherapy treatment. After his death the women were even more determined to support the charity.
To date, the Calendar Girls have raised over £1million for Leukaemia Research and were guests at Clarence House earlier this year, where Prince Charles praised them for their tireless work for the charity.
“Mum and the rest of the ladies have played a fantastic role in helping raise awareness and funds for Leukaemia Research. As a charity close to my heart too, doing the BUPA Great North Run is my way of helping them in the fight against blood cancers that affect so many lives,” says Matthew.
Matthew, who is hoping to complete the 13.1-mile course in around two hours, will be joined on his run by friends Jon Crisp, Edwardo Benito, Caitlin Lonergan and Geraldine Lennon. Their friends and family will be supporting them on the day as they take on the run in the effort to raise a big total for the UK’s leading blood cancer charity.
The BUPA Great North Run is Britain’s biggest running event and this year celebrates its 25th anniversary. To mark the occasion, Matthew and the team will be running alongside 25 crazy runners who will swap their t-shirts for a 6ft banana suit all in the bid to raise £25,000 for Leukaemia Research.
For more information log onto www.justgiving.com/banana-idol or to sponsor Matthew, click here and mark your donation as "Calendar Girls".
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