A CHEEKY calendar of nude men, designed to raise money for Hull Royal Infirmary, has sold around the world.
The Hull Workmen calendar 2015, which features photos of hunky construction workers, sold out within weeks of going on sale last month and extra copies have now been printed.
It was the idea of Paul Spence, who suffered a severe brain injury when he was punched in an unprovoked attack at a bar in 2012.
Mr Spence, 34, of west Hull, persuaded friends from the construction industry to strip off for the calendar, which is being sold to raise money for the Neurosurgical Unit at the hospital.
Staff on wards 4 and 40 spent months supporting Mr Spence through his recovery.
Mr Spence said: "The printers, Oriel, initially produced 300 calendars for me.
"I thought this was plenty. I never thought I would completely sell out, and so quickly, too.
"The calendar features something for everyone, and a lot of people have told me they were buying them for Secret Santa presents or as Christmas gifts for friends or sisters.
"I'm really grateful for the help of the shops that have stocked and sold the calendar. I keep getting messages from people saying they need five more copies here or ten more there, which is brilliant."
Mr Spence has received worldwide requests for the calendars, which cost £10 each.
He said "I've sent them to Australia, Denmark, America and Spain so they have been a global success.
"Oriel has pulled out all the stops to get an extra 100 calendars produced to help me meet the demand and raise even more money to help staff on the wards and also future patients who find themselves being treated for a brain injury."
The funds raised by Mr Spence will help to buy a NIM Eclipse Spinal System machine – a vital piece of equipment for the hospital.
To date, Mr Spence has raised more than £17,000 for the ward.
He is currently counting down the days to the three-year anniversary of the attack by taking on a week-by-week charity challenge.
The 26-week physical challenge will culminate in a marathon next Easter after also taking in swimming, cycling, rowing and walking challenges, with the distance increasing by a mile each week.
Mr Spence is now approaching week 14, when he will run around Pickering park, East Park, West Park and Pearson Park and also cycle between them all.
For more information about the calendar and Mr Spence's journey to recovery, visit his Facebook page, Paul Spence – My Brain Recovery.
Health and fitness helping recoveringPAUL Spence was punched to the floor in a Hull bar on Easter Sunday in 2012.
Doctors warned him it would be at least three years before he would make a full recovery.
However, after another round of test last year, neuro-psychologists advised Mr Spence to leave his job of 18 years as an electrician, to which he had returned part-time.
The tests revealed the 34-year-old's cognitive development is not improving and is unlikely to get any better now.
Mr Spence, who lives in west Hull, is now using health and fitness to help in his recovery.
On the first anniversary of his attack he completed a half-marathon. On the second anniversary last year, he held a 10k run, with 90 runners take part.
This year, he will run a marathon on Easter Sunday, starting at Hull Royal Infirmary and finishing where he grew up, in Bilton.
