So who is behind this?

Last year the Armley Tourist Board teamed up with local charity Interplay Theatre to launch the first ‘Charming Armley Calendar’. Conceived of, and distributed within a month the calendar extolled the virtues of Armley. A photographic competition was launched, received over 160 images within 2 weeks, and was judged by leading photographic gallery director Anne McNeill. The 2 winners received prizes of £200 and £100 respectively, and were featured on BBC Radio and across the regions press. It was entirely self funded and gave community groups, charities and local enterprises the chance to show off their news and events.

Last year’s competition also laid the foundations of the following team of volunteers who have come back together for this year:

• Emma Bearman has been named a) ‘party organiser’ b)‘freelance property developer’ and c) ‘sales executive’ by various newspapers, it would be fair to say that none of these are true, especially b! For her day job Emma helps to get stuff happening, events, courses, networks, parties, this! What connects those seemingly disparate dots is a love of culture and community! 
  www.cultivateltd.co.uk
• Clancy Walker is a former young CIPR professional of the year for the Yorkshire and Humber region. She has her own PR and Communications business called Vital Communications.  She has lived in Armley for nearly six years and as a budding scriptwriter is immensely proud of the great writing heritage of the area thanks to Sir Alan Bennett and Barbara Taylor Bradford.
  www.vitalcommunications.co.uk
• Casey Orr was a shortlisted calendar entrant last year her clients include Channel 4, Sports Council England, EMI, and Universal Records. Her work has been exhibited at Leeds City Art Gallery, The National Portrait Gallery, and is currently on show at The University of the Arts, Philadelphia, USA. She is represented by Jen Bekman Gallery, New York, and has been funded for numerous projects by Arts Council England. She is also a Senior Lecturer and Researcher at Leeds Metropolitan University. 
  www.caseyorr.com
• Leah Vigon fromLogistik admired the calendar last year and wished she could be part of it - and lo and behold now she is! During the day she heads up PR at Logistik, but also moonlights as a fitness instructor at Virgin Active in Leeds. She and loves talking and writing about food – so was delighted when the Charlie Cake Competition came to fruition.
• Jane Scroggie is an Armley Resident and is a member of the Friends of Armley Common Right Trust, and a huge fan of Armley and its charms. She has worked as a teacher and now works at Leeds Town Hall as the curator/guide/interpreter for ‘Crime and Punishment’ revealing the little known courthouse and jail! If you are a Facebook fan search for the 'Crime and Punishment' group to find out more
• Dawn Newsome is project manager at Armley Helping Hands  and is very well connected to a huge range of older residents in the Armley Community. It takes her an hour to walk to Armley Town Street and back when on the sandwich run due to being mobbed by members and well wishers of Armley Helping Hands.
• Michelle Duxberry -Townsley is a maker and facilitator of beautiful things. She runs Leeds Craft Mafia,  Pretty Crafty Things  and has her own clothing label. Thanks to Michelle the cake competition will be full of crafty fun and games……