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Aberfeldy calendar girls bare all in town that took Ukraine to its heart

Aberfeldy was praised for the welcome it showed refugees fleeing the fighting in Ukraine. Now a group of local women have stripped in solidarity

Black and white photo of topless women holding rugby balls at chest height
The women of Aberfeldy have shed their inhibitions to support their friends in Ukraine. Image: Supplied.

Around 100 women in Aberfeldy have bared all in the Perthshire town’s latest act of solidarity with Ukraine.

Ladies from groups and organisations across the community stripped off for a fundraising calendar.

The 97 women posed with strategically placed saddles, rugby balls and sewing machines.

And their efforts have so far raked in more than £5,000 in calendar sales.

That has paid for enough gifts and treats to fill more than 300 shoeboxes destined for Ukraine.

Grup of topless women in front of sewing machines
One of the scenes from the calendar. Image: Supplied.
Group of topless women holding saddles in a stable
Horsing around for the April 2025 entry. Image: Supplied.

The women joined forces with local photographers and church volunteers for the enterprise.

The donations have now been packed onto a lorry heading to Ukraine as part of the annual Blythswood Care Shoebox Appeal.

It comes almost three years after Aberfeldy was celebrated for the kindness it showed refugees fleeing the conflict with Russia.

Topless women holding sheet music behind a piano
Smiles and a song from the March calendar girls. Image: Supplied.

The town was held up as a model for others to follow after local families took in dozens of Ukrainians in the first weeks of the crisis in spring 2022.

Many are now valuable members of the community, who have come to regard Aberfeldy as their home.

Aberfeldy and Ukraine now linked forever

Calendar organiser Zoe Dark was one of the first people in Scotland to open her door to refugees fleeing the fighting.

Mariia Tsarenko and her children Ignat, 13, and four year-old David are still living with Zoe and her family.

Mariia works in Zoe’s sandwich shop, Piece, and the boys are enjoying a safe and secure childhood far from the frontline.

Zoe Dark smiling as she holds a calendar in front of a pile of shoeboxes inside a church hall
Zoe Dark with a copy of the calendar and some of the shoeboxes which it paid for. Image: Supplied

“This is an ongoing thing for Aberfeldy,” said Zoe.

“We still have 12 of the girls who came over living here, and they and their children have become a massive part of our community.

“Mariia and her boys are just a joy to have around,” she added.

“They will always be a part of our family now.”

Aberfeldy has sent 457 shoeboxes to Ukraine this year, 330 of them funded from sales of the calendar.

Katie Alstaff, seated in front of a pile of Blythswood Care cardboard boxes
Katie Alstaff, joint chief organiser of the shoebox appeal in Aberfeldy for many years. Image: Supplied.

Each month was sponsored by a local business.

Others purchased items wholesale on behalf of shoebox organisers in order to maximise proceeds from the calendar.

Some copies are still available.

They can be bought from local businesses, or by emailing eats@takethepiece.com.

Funds raised from sales of the remaining copies will go to next year’s shoebox appeal.

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