A group of mums from Soham, who have all suffered the loss of a child, have raised £26,410 by posing naked for a charity calendar.

Ely Standard: The Strong Soham Mums, who have all suffered the loss of a child, have raised £26,410 by posing nude for a charity calendar. Picture: SUBMITTED.The Strong Soham Mums, who have all suffered the loss of a child, have raised £26,410 by posing nude for a charity calendar. Picture: SUBMITTED. (Image: Archant)

The Strong Soham Mums, who are a group of 12 bereaved mothers, joined together in their grief to do something positive.

The money raised by The Soham Strong Mums has been split between the Road Victims Trust (RVT), which provides support to relatives of those killed on the roads, and the Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust.

The mums created a calendar girls style calendar and it has been a massive success - selling throughout Cambridgeshire, the UK and beyond.

Ely Standard: The Strong Soham Mums, who have all suffered the loss of a child, have raised £26,410 by posing nude for a charity calendar. Picture: SUBMITTED.The Strong Soham Mums, who have all suffered the loss of a child, have raised £26,410 by posing nude for a charity calendar. Picture: SUBMITTED. (Image: Archant)

They have even appeared on ITV’s This Morning and in the Daily Mail newspaper to publicise the calendar.

Alison Fitt, who came up with the idea, said: “My son Charlie died of a rare immune condition last year. Our younger son Alfie, 13, has the same condition.

“After a couple of very dangerous bleeds, and worried that the next bleed could be fatal, the doctors wanted Charlie to have a bone marrow transplant.

Ely Standard: The Strong Soham Mums, who have all suffered the loss of a child, have raised £26,410 by posing nude for a charity calendar. Picture: SUBMITTED.The Strong Soham Mums, who have all suffered the loss of a child, have raised £26,410 by posing nude for a charity calendar. Picture: SUBMITTED. (Image: Archant)

“Unfortunately after five long months in hospital he lost his fight for life. Our lives will never be the same and we will continue to love and miss him forever.

“Earlier this year I said to my husband I really want to do something positive. I know of so many other mums in the town who have lost a child. One through seeing her regularly at the cemetery.

“I wondered how do they get through this, how do they get through such pain? Then I thought if they can get through it then so can I.

“When I suggested the calendar we got together for meetings and it was like being among friends. There was an unspoken bond.

“The support of each other is very powerful. It has been more than just getting together to produce a calendar.”

The group of women hired local boudoir photographer, Alicia Marshall and her make up artists Tracey Bardbeer and Camilla Jungman, to create a photograph for each month.

Alison said: “The photos are a little bit cheeky but professional and extremely tasteful.

“All of the proceeds go to Addenbrooke’s Hospital children’s wards and the Road Victims Trust.

“We chose Addenbrooke’s as it is local. I have stayed there with my boys on numerous occasions.

“A few of our mums lost their children in road traffic accidents and we all agreed the Road Victims Trust do amazing work.”

The Road Victims Trust supports those affected by road death in Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire and each year provides counselling to more than 500 people.

Clair Bradley, Road Victims Trust fundraising manager, said: “These ladies are both brave and inspirational and it has been a privilege to work on this project with them.

“The amount raised is just phenomenal for the RVT and we are extremely grateful to each and every one of the Strong Soham Mums.”

For more information about the charity’s work visit www.rvtrust.org.uk