A CALENDAR of memories has been brought to life by an AGE UK art group.

Members of the Farnworth class were asked to look back to their younger years in order to create a ‘trip down memory lane’ calendar.

Each year Forrest Recruitment agency create a calendar for the for the coming year.

However this year, instead of asking primary school pupils to draw pictures of ‘what they want to be when they grow up’, they reversed the idea and asked the older generation to look back on the jobs they once had.

Area manager of Forest Recruitment Caroline Hawksworth and Adele Beardsworth, Bolton branch manager, presented the group with £1,000 and individual £25 vouchers for members to use at Ken Bromley Art Supplies.

Mrs Hawksworth added: “The response we have had so far has been the best we have had with any of our calendars.

“It is a lovely idea and more than 2,000 calendars have gone out across the North West.”

For the calendar, group members used a combination of pastels, watercolour and acrylics to depict their former occupations, which varied from chip shop owners, through to florists, plumbers, farmers and railway workers.

Colin Fearnley, aka Mr July, used to work at Horwich Locomotive Works, where he began an apprenticeship at 15-years-old and drew inspiration from his former career for his month’s masterpiece.

The 80-year-old, from Over Hulton said: “I started coming to AGE UK, 17 years-ago after my wife passed away.

“I’ve always been interested in art so I thought I would take it up.

“The calendar has been a fantastic idea — really wonderful.

“Trains and railways have always interested me so it was a no brainer to do the picture I did.”

Cecilia Nicholson, aged 68, of Harwood used to work as a waitress and produced her month June, based on her former job.

She said: “I wanted to go to art at school but was made to do Latin.

“I failed Latin spectacularly but still do a lot of crafts and embroidery.”

Derek Haslam, aged 82, from Astley Bridge, has been at AGE UK for 14-years and is now the tutor for the class.

He produced two pieces for the calendar, February and October to signify his former weekend work in a boatyard and his time as a textile designer.

He said: “After my wife died my daughter said I’d better get out and do something so I came here, I used to be a very shy older person and didn’t want to go out much.

“The calendar is fantastic and I am so impressed with the quality of it.”

AGE UK art workshops are on Tuesday in the activities centre in Cross Street, in Farnworth. To join contact: 01204 701525.