Scarborough ladies prepare to bare all for charity

A group of 21 women will be baring all to raise money for charity.
Some of the ladies taking part in the charity Half Monty. Breast cancer survivors, from left, back, Jo Laking, Elaine Cunnington, Sharon Horner and Mags Salt. Front, Carol Raper Williamson, Lisa Smith and Tracy Smith. Picture by Richard Ponter 184718eSome of the ladies taking part in the charity Half Monty. Breast cancer survivors, from left, back, Jo Laking, Elaine Cunnington, Sharon Horner and Mags Salt. Front, Carol Raper Williamson, Lisa Smith and Tracy Smith. Picture by Richard Ponter 184718e
Some of the ladies taking part in the charity Half Monty. Breast cancer survivors, from left, back, Jo Laking, Elaine Cunnington, Sharon Horner and Mags Salt. Front, Carol Raper Williamson, Lisa Smith and Tracy Smith. Picture by Richard Ponter 184718e

Lisa Smith has organised a night full of entertainment at Cayton Bay Holiday Park on Friday November 30 in aid of four charities, Macmillan Nurses, Breast Cancer Care, Cancer Research UK and Willows Lull Children’s Charity.

The breast cancer survivor was inspired by the Real Full Monty with Coleen Nolan, where eight female celebrities bared all in ITV’s The Real Full Monty: Ladies’ Night.

Cayton ladies go through their routine ready for a charity Half Monty in aid of supporting breast cancer. Picture by Richard Ponter 184718bCayton ladies go through their routine ready for a charity Half Monty in aid of supporting breast cancer. Picture by Richard Ponter 184718b
Cayton ladies go through their routine ready for a charity Half Monty in aid of supporting breast cancer. Picture by Richard Ponter 184718b
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“After watching the show and having breast cancer myself it really got to me as I’ve buried a lot of my emotions from it,” she said.

“The idea started after I posted on Facebook saying what a fabulous programme to get breast cancer awareness out there and my friend said ‘why don’t you do one in Scarborough?’. So it went from there. I posted asking if anyone would be interested and the response was outstanding.”

The event has been so popular that it is now a sell-out.

Lisa is choreographing the show as well as being one of the acts singing and then performing the ‘Half Monty’ with 20 other women.

Cayton ladies go through their routine ready for a charity ' half monty' in aid of supporting breast cancer. Picture by Richard Ponter 184717cCayton ladies go through their routine ready for a charity ' half monty' in aid of supporting breast cancer. Picture by Richard Ponter 184717c
Cayton ladies go through their routine ready for a charity ' half monty' in aid of supporting breast cancer. Picture by Richard Ponter 184717c

The performance will include the women entering the show to Here Come The Girls and the main performance to This Is Me.

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The 51-year-old said: “We will be getting our boobs out for charity with a Half Monty at the end of the night.

“I’m choreographing the show myself as I’ve worked with shows since I was 10. I started at the YMCA and worked my way up.

“I’ll even be performing with girls on stage that I performed with years ago.”

The Dance by Design owner will be performing with other breast cancer survivors and other ladies who have a connection to cancer in some way.

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“A lot of people in the audience are breast cancer survivors and have been affected by cancer,” Lisa added.

The variety show will feature 12 acts including local talents and professional acts travelling hundreds of miles to be there. Host for the evening will be Alan Carr look-alike Mr Bradley Royce.

Other acts include: Circa 15, Annie & King, Francesca Santamaria, Jinx, Rebekah Kelly, the senior show team from Anne Taylor’s Academy of Dance, Lia Wardle, Holly Kerr, Nathan Mundy and Lori-Suzanne Kelly.

A representative from Macmillan Nurses will be there to give a talk to raise awareness of breast cancer.

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“If we can get one person to check their boobs it’s worth doing,” Lisa added.

Lisa’s passion for the event has been inspired by her personal story with breast cancer.

She received radiotherapy treatment and a lumpectomy aged 28. Then 20 years later, she had a double mastectomy and a reconstruction that failed.

“I’m fine now but I’ve been through the wars,” she added.

All the ladies have been training hard and getting themselves prepared for the big show and surprisingly are “more worried about getting their bellies out than their boobs”.

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Lisa added: “Training has been such a laugh but it’s been so nice to share stories and information with each other. It is a lonely experience and nobody really understands. People can support you but don’t really know how you feel.

“Some women didn’t know that they could ask for a free boob or a wig when you lose your hair. So we’ve all gained a little bit of information as well.

“I think this has done us all the world of good.”