Estate agents reveal almost all for cancer charity

You may well ask why a director of a top estate agency is posing next to a lavatory wearing a pair of skimpy orange underpants while clutching a pair of Christmas baubles. The answer is that Ian Hardisty is using toilet humour to get a very serious message across.
The front of the charity calendar. Inside is much more revealing.The front of the charity calendar. Inside is much more revealing.
The front of the charity calendar. Inside is much more revealing.

You may well ask why a director of a top estate agency is posing next to a lavatory wearing a pair of skimpy orange underpants while clutching a pair of Christmas baubles. The answer is that Ian Hardisty is using toilet humour to get a very serious message across.

He is one of 13 volunteers from Hardisty and Co. estate agents to pose for a charity calendar aimed at raising funds for Prostate Cancer UK.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Leading from the top, Ian, aka Mr December, and his brother, Andrew, Mr November, put their hands up for the task. The idea for the 2018 calendar came after an office discussion about gender inequality when it came to fund-raising.

Mr December, aka estate agency director Ian Hardisty. We have cropped the lower half of the picture.Mr December, aka estate agency director Ian Hardisty. We have cropped the lower half of the picture.
Mr December, aka estate agency director Ian Hardisty. We have cropped the lower half of the picture.

“We pointed out that when it came to raising money for charity it was usually the girls in the office that organised the events and we thought it was the boys turn to do something. They happily agreed,” says Tracey Hardisty, the firm’s Business Development Manager.

The men from Hardisty and Co’s branches in Guiseley, Horsforth and Otley decided to take part in Movember and do a risque calendar to raise awareness and money for Prostate Cancer UK. The charity was chosen as Ian and Andrew’s grandfather suffered from prostate cancer and Ian’s father-in-law has also been affected by the condition.

“The toilet is the main prop because it relates to the cause and the symptoms of the cancer,” says Andrew, who is pictured on the throne wearing a bowler hat and holding a weekly newspaper to protect his modesty.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Award-winning photographer David Charles shot the pictures and gave his services for free.

The calendars are on sale at branches of Hardisty and Co. and online.The calendars are on sale at branches of Hardisty and Co. and online.
The calendars are on sale at branches of Hardisty and Co. and online.

The group photo on the calendar’s cover was taken in David’s garden in Tadcaster one very cold morning. “I did feel for them as it was freezing and took an hour to get right,” says Tracey, who was in charge of ordering props.

Along with doing their bit for a good cause, going almost “Full Monty” for a photo shoot proved to be a great team-building exercise. “We had a lot fun doing it. We shot it when Ian and I had grown moustaches for Movember. I must admit my tash makes me look like a dodgy porn star but the picture has made people smile,” says Andrew.

The calendar costs £7.50 from branches of Hardisty and Co. in Guiseley, Horsforth and Otley and online at www.hardistyandco.com.