Make a date with the calendar boy
Photo-taking binman Colin Morrison hopes his fundraising calendars for 2021 will sell in a flash.
With another six months still to go before the New Year starts, the 48-year-old from Tobermory has his first batch of 500 next edition calendars back from the printers, ready and waiting to wing their way out to online fans worldwide.
And with many people left to only dream of visiting Mull this year because of COVID-19 blocking travel, the new calendars should be in big demand from people with postponed holiday plans.
Last year copies of his calendars were requested from as far away as America and New Zealand making more than £10,000 for good causes back on Mull.
After finding fame on Facebook, his island snapshots are still a sensation with more than 7,000 members now following his page at A binman’s view of Mull and Iona.
This week on his bin round, he came across an unusual road block – a peacock on the way to Croggan
– but that colourful encounter came too late to be included in the 2021 offering.
‘He wasn’t going anywhere in a hurry. In fact, he was refusing to let me pass so I jumped out and took his picture,’ said Colin, who had hoped to start selling his calendars earlier this year but lockdown got in the way.
The first two charities picked to benefit from this year’s sales are Salen children’s Gaelic choir and Mull Musical Minds and Mull Mod Club, with more causes to come if orders fly in.
‘I hope to add some more charities but that will depend on sales as, due to this COVID-19, it’s uncertain how anything will go these days but fingers crossed it will all go well and we’ll be back to some sort of normality soon,’ said Colin.
The calendars, which will be sold in local shops and are also available by Facebook messaging Colin, are £8 each with £2 from each one going to charity. Postage and packing will be extra.
Colin is also offering mounted prints but only has a limited supply for now.
Last year’s beneficiaries from calendar sales were Mull Army Cadets. Bowman Court, Mull and Iona community hospital, Dervaig School’s playground appeal, Tobermory Christmas Lights and Fireworks Display, Feis Mhuile, the children’s Gaelic choir Coisir Og Mhuile, Tobermory School Pipe Band and Mull and Iona Pipe Band.
The line-up of landscapes in the 2021 calendar includes Highland cows at Pennyghael, Uisken beach, Iona and sunset over Tobermory Bay.