Sudbury Rugby Club to host Ladies and Men’s Full Monty show in support of Cancer Research UK

Five years on from their debut performance, a group of ladies are again going topless for cancer research – and this time, they are bringing the men on board, too.

Ten women have lined up three nights of shows at Sudbury Rugby Club next week, inspired by the TV programme The Real Full Monty – Ladies Night.

Taking place on the evenings of November 13, 14 and 15, the shows are raising money and awareness for Cancer Research UK, with a number of the women having been affected by breast cancer.

It will be a return to the stage for the group, following their successful run of shows in 2019, which collected £11,522.11 in donations.

Organiser Sally Clark revealed that, since the original event, they had hoped to one day do it again, and this year, in which she turns 60 years old, felt like the right time.

“I knew that, if I didn’t do it this year, it probably wouldn’t happen again,” she told SuffolkNews.

“When I suggested it, none of them had any idea I had already booked the venue. I took a chance, hoping they would say yes.

“One hundred per cent, they were on board. It’s a cause that’s close to their hearts.”

The other members are Sally Bugg, Sharon Howe, Elaine Stewart, Irene Debono, Debbie Knights, Louise Knights, Emma Stevens, Gemma Phipps, Jenny Davey-Medleycott and Shelly Rout.

As with the 2019 event, the performances are being choreographed by Holly Cook, owner of Beau Dance.

To help differentiate this year’s shows, the group have recruited three male performers – Damon New, Thomas Dain and Dan Swansbrough – to spread awareness of prostate and testicular cancer.

“As it has been five years, we thought it would be a good time to do it again, but we didn’t want people to just see the same show again,” she said. “We wanted it to be a bit different.

“The hardest part was finding some men that would want to do it, but they are all happy to be involved.”

To support their cause, go online to fundraise.cancerresearchuk.org/page/theladiesandmensfullmonty.

The team, who have also produced themed calendars that will be sold at all three shows, are aiming to raise at least £15,000 for Cancer Research.