Shropshire Star

Stunning snaps create charity calendar

Alan Roberts has always enjoyed taking photos in his home town.

Published
Alan Roberts is raising money for two charities

And with the advent of social media, he started posting some of them to a wider audience.

Such was the reaction on the community Facebook page it was suggested he turned some of his photos of Chirk into a calendar.

The result is a 2020 pictorial calendar, which is being sold for two of Alan’s favourite charities.

A snowy town centre

Profits from the publication will be split between the Chirk Hospital Friends group and the Royal British Legion poppy appeal. He said he had been amazed by the reaction to the calendar, with the first 300 snapped up even before they were even produced. Now a new print run is underway.

Alan , who was part of Chirk’s family run coal merchants before retiring three years ago, said: “I have enjoyed photography as a hobby for about 30 years and retirement has given me more time to take pictures.

"I put some on Facebook and have been absolutely amazed by people’s reactions.

The cenotaph

"A few people asked me if I was going to make a calendar and, after checking that someone else who has done them them past was not doing one, I decided to go ahead.”

He said it had been difficult to choose which 12 photos to choose for each month.

The pictures chosen included a snowy Chirk town centre, taken during ‘the beast from the east’ , the lighting of the aqueduct to mark the 10th anniversary of the canal being a World Heritage site, as well as the cenotaph and castle.

Chirk aqueduct

“I wanted to raise money for Chirk hospital as myself and my family have been helped so much over the years,” said Alan.

“I have always bought a poppy and with the gentleman who using sells them door to door, who is now standing down because of age, so I thought this would help to boost the appeal.”

Calendars can be bought at the various outlets in the town.