They shed their inhibitions – and their clothes – to pose naked for a 2011 calendar called Risqué Business, with all the profits going to Southend Hospital Charitable Foundation’s Bosom Pals Appeal.

The calendar is the brainchild of photographer Jo Curtis, who took all the saucy snaps – she told longpier.com:

“Bosom Pals is a fantastic Southend charity and we really wanted to do something fun that would raise money for them, and promote some great local businesses at the same time. We had lots of volunteers wanting to take part and it’s been huge fun doing the photo-shoots – although I’m very grateful that I can get back to taking photos of people with their clothes on now!”

Risqué Business has been designed by Emily Hewett, who posed for it herself – recreating Demi Moore’s famous 1991 Vanity Fair cover – at eight months pregnant.

She says:

“The only thing I was worried about was getting the whole thing designed before going into labour!”

Senior Fundraising Manager at Bosom Pals, Barbara Warner added:

“We would like to say a big thankyou to everyone who was brave enough to bare all for our vitally important cause.”

Risqué Business can be purchased for £7 at locations around Southend, contact jo@jocurtisphotographer.co.uk for further details.

Unlike many other Calendar Girls-inspired projects, Risqué Business has something to make everyone smile, as it is features go-getting guys on one side and tycoon totty on the other.

The participants saucily showed their ass-ets in locations around Southend and in poses that cheekily reflect their particular business interests.

Amongst the many taking part are Adventure Island Managing Director Marc Miller, Maxim’s Casino General Manager Jimmy Howard and Marketing Manager John Harland, Leigh & Thorpe Bay Oracle Publisher Emma Wynne-Morgan, Grateful Heads owner Craig Smith, Echo Chief Features Writer Tom King, estate agent Katalina Fuller and the Southend Airport firemen.

Tickets will be priced at £20 and £45 for the events, which takes place on Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th August 2012.

A new temporary Mountain Bike course will be created within Hadleigh Farm, and work has already started in laying the foundations.

The Mountain Bike Course will be prepared with temporary grandstands and facilities to be built in the lead up to the Games.  3,000 people will be able to watch the two day event.

Children under the age of 16 at 27 July 2012 will pay their age for a ticket.  People over 60 on the same date, will pay £16.

Organisers have also revealed tickets for the opening ceremony – at the Olympic Stadium in Stratford – will cost between £20.12 and £2,012.

Of the 8.8 million tickets available, 75% will be sold to the public from March 2011.

The highest priced ticket to watch athletics is £725 for the Super Final day, which includes the men’s 100m.

Police have been given good descriptions of the suspects who fled empty handed after being disturbed.

The first happened in the Stambridge area of Rochford at around 4pm.
A man was found in the property when the homeowner returned home. The suspect left empty handed.

The man is described as white, slim, 6ft – 6ft 2ins, he was wearing a grey cardigan type top with a light blue polo shirt and blue denim jeans. He had short, blond, spiky hair. He was in his late teens and early twenties.

The second incident happened at an address in Hockley just after 4pm. The suspect broke into the house and started to search the property but fled when he was disturbed.

This man is described as white, aged 16 and 20, of slim build, between 5ft 10ins and 6ft 2ins. He had blond hair and was wearing a grey hooded top with the hood up.

Anyone with information is asked to call Pc Philip Mccorkell from Southend’s CID Target Team on 0300 333 4444.

The ten part series – which started on Sunday night – has divided opinion so far.  Many people say it’s a true representation of the county, but others have slammed the series saying it’s reinforced negative stereotypes of our county.

Incidentally none of the people featured in the show are from Southend or surrounding areas.  Leave your comment below and join the debate…

Here is ITV2′s official press blurb…

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“Welcome to the glamorous world of Essex, a brand new ten-part series, where viewers get a chance to delve into the real lives of some of the most gorgeous people around, in a truly innovative living soap.  The characters who feature in this show are real people living their real lives. Viewers will see the tears, the tantrums and the triumphs just like a real soap opera.

This is the place where nail bars, nightclubs and tanning salons are a big part of everybody’s lives.  It’s all about expensive watches, designer clothing and champagne cocktails. The series is filmed just a few days before transmission, so our cast will be watching the show as we shoot it.

They’ll find out exactly what other characters in the show are saying about them as well as discovering secrets that will affect their lives. Each episode will contain the fallout from the previous episode and if you want to know more, events will also unfold online every day.

There’s Mark, a self confessed Mr Essex, club promoter and a serial womaniser.  He’s fit, he’s gorgeous but it’s complicated.  Will he ever get back with his on off girlfriend Lauren, who he says he says really loves, or will he continue to play the field?

Then there’s Amy, a Jordan lookalike.  She’s looking for Mr Right but can she realise her dream of being the next Jordan and winning a lucrative modelling contract for classy underwear?

Kirk’s a sexy young successful club owner. He really likes Amy but how can he win her heart?

Jessica is feisty and bright.  She’s in a girl band who dreams of getting to the top, but will she be the next Cheryl Cole?  Watch their story unfold over the next few weeks.

Candy and Michael work behind the bar of Kirk’s club Sugar Hut.  They’re great for a gossip. What secrets will they reveal and who will they name and shame over the next few weeks.

They’re loud, they’re proud and they’re Essex.  Meet them all and more in ITV 2′s brand new living soap.  It’s not soap imitating life, this time, it’s life imitating soap.”

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SO OVER TO YOU – WHAT DID YOU THINK OF SUNDAY’s PROGRAMME – TRUE REPRESENTATION OR REINFORCEMENT OF NEGATIVE STEREOTYPES – ADD YOUR COMMENT BELOW….

Pictures courtesy: ITV

This week, we take a look at what Southend can offer the world’s best sporting teams when they descend on the UK for the 2012 Olympic Games.

Under the banner ‘your service, your say’, the consultation means that patients and members of the public as well as staff and stakeholders, can all influence how the NHS Foundation Trust will be set up. The public consultation was launched this week (Oct 4) and will continue until the end of the year.

And, if the application is successful, those who become members of the Trust will have a direct input in how services are developed and improved even further.

Hayden Newton, chief executive of EEAST, said:

“Becoming an NHS Foundation Trust will allow for closer links with those who are most important to us – our patients, staff, volunteers and the communities we serve. And you can have a greater influence on the delivery and improvement of services in your area by becoming a member.”

As part of its plans for the future EEAST wants to look at ways of developing more tailor-made services for the benefit of its patients.

Hayden continued: “We believe that the current one size fits all approach is not always the most appropriate for our patients. It needs to change so that the individual needs of patients can be met more effectively.

“As a foundation trust we will have greater freedom and scope to look for better ways of meeting our own patients’ particular needs and priorities – but we will still be closely inspected and regulated to make sure we achieve all NHS standards.”

EEAST will be consulting with patients, staff, volunteers, partners and members of the public until 31st December 2010 about its plans and ideas for becoming an NHS Foundation Trust.

Events are being arranged across the east of England during the consultation period where you can speak to staff in person about the proposals. These will be advertised locally and details can also be found online at www.foundationtrust.eastamb.nhs.uk.

A full consultation document and summary leaflet is also available on this website and you can also give feedback and become a member online. Alternatively you can call 0800 028 3021 or email ft@eastamb.nhs.uk for information.

Simply put, unless we can find a main sponsor for Longpier.com, the site will close on Monday.  It’s been a difficult decision, and we’ve thought about this long and hard.

With the level of commitment and time the site demands, it’s become impossible to continue.

So this is one final plea – for local businesses, organisations and/or interested parties to come forward.

We’re looking for a site sponsor who will help us to widen our reach and continue to provide the community with a fantastic resource.

Please email  longpier@gmail.com if you can help.

Thanks

The ‘Building Better Business’ and ‘Accredited Property Agents’ certificates from business training providers The Business Ladder indicate superb competencies across issues such as commercial awareness, marketing and efficiency.

Rory James MacLaren-Jackson, CEO of The Business Ladder, commented,

“Blackshaw Homes are an exciting agency business and Director Perry Blackshaw has a very positive approach combining the professional property marketing of a corporate estate agency with the client care of an independent. In particular, we identified a strong commitment to personalised service and staff development.”

Fabio Del Piero, Chairman of The Business Ladder, who also attended the presentation added:

“We see in Blackshaw Homes exactly the qualities of professionalism and commercial awareness that are more important than ever in business, in the current economic climate. Well done to Blackshaw!”

Blackshaw Homes provide estate agency sales, lettings and property management service in the Southend-on-Sea area and surrounding areas.

Call Perry on 01702 462455 or visit www.blackshawhomes.co.uk

Longpier.com

As you may be aware, the site is run by a very small team who each have their own full time jobs.  Longpier.com is primarily a community based website, giving readers breaking news, sport and features from Southend and surrounding areas.

But – simply put – it’s just too much work for such a small team.

That’s why we’re asking if YOU would be interested in contributing to the site.  Perhaps you’ve always wanted to write for a publication but never really knew a way “in”.  Perhaps you’d like to try your sales skills to encourage more and more local businesses to sponsor the site.  Maybe you’re a business and are interested about a potential tie up. 

The great thing is – you don’t need any previous experience.  We’re looking to share the website with as many residents of the Southend borough as possible.  If you have an interesting idea and like the thought of working on this truly collaborative project then please contact James at   longpier@gmail.com

We’d really love to grow the site – and now need your help to achieve this.  Thanks.

70 year old David Churn from Plumberow Avenue in Hockley, died when his Toyota Hilux struck a blue Ford Fiesta and then left the road colliding with a lamppost, electricity post and a tree at around 12.40pm on Saturday (28 Aug).

The Essex Air Ambulance attended but the doctor from the aircraft certified Mr Churn dead at the scene. No one else was injured in the crash although a woman passenger in the Fiesta suffered shock.  Police say Mr Churn could have fallen ill at the wheel.

The Fiesta was being driven by a 61-year-old Basildon man.  The road was closed for a number of hours whilst the emergency services dealt with the incident.

Mr Churn was a retired plant driver and had lived in Hockley for the past 17 months, but previously lived in Great Wakering for 16 years.

He was married to Wendy, and leaves a son Gary, and grandchildren Jason and Robby. David was a keen sea and freshwater fisherman and owned his own boat. He and Wendy were planning an extended holiday to New Zealand. He will be greatly missed by his family and friends.

Anyone who witnessed the crash or may have seen the Toyota immediately before is asked to contact the Rayleigh road policing unit on 0300 333 4444, where the officer dealing is Pc Gavin Freeman.