This calendar of town’s benches could be the perfect Christmas gift

'Having a calendar about benches may be dull to some but is quite unique and fun.'

When people choose a new calendar they often opt for something showing their favourite celebrity, cute animals or idyllic beaches.

Usually, they wouldn’t go for a compilation of 12 very ordinary looking benches.

But Kevin Beresford, champion of the mundane, is proving this theory wrong with a calendar celebrating the benches of his hometown, Redditch in Worcestershire.

The A3 calendar, which features a variety of benches, is quickly becoming a runaway success with Kevin selling hundreds of copies.

The retired painter, 69, has been making calendars as a hobby for the past 18-years.

But his most recent release is proving so popular he has had to turn print more copies to keep up with demand.

Kevin said: ‘I’ve already had well over 100 orders, and they just keep coming in.

‘People like to buy calendars as gifts for Christmas, so I feel as though they’ll be flying off the shelves pretty soon.’

He is even setting his hopes on outselling Meghan Markle’s children’s book; ‘The Bench.’

‘I do hope that I sell more than Meghan Markle. I love her and think she’s great, but I love myself a bit of competition,’ he said.

Other calendars in Kevin’s collection include 2003’s debut release ‘the roundabouts of Redditch’, ‘the Roundabouts of Britain and ‘the Wonderful World of Jack Grealish’s calves’.

For his newest calendar, Kevin, who is a member of the Dull Men’s Club, spent an entire day this summer walking around his local area photographing his favourite benches.

Kevin said: ‘I like to go around town and just take pictures of things that catch my eye.

‘We pass so many places that we just take for granted on a daily basis, some of which, to me, are actually pieces of art.

‘I wanted to do a bench calendar this time, as a homage to park benches.

‘People use them for all sorts of things, from sitting, sleeping, eating lunch, watching time go by. Back in my day, we used to court on benches.’

Kevin said his favourite bench was May’s seat, a bench on Sambourne village green.

‘Benches are actually really expensive, so it’s nice that the councils provide some in idyllic places,’ he added.

When asked what the secret to the success of his calendars was, Kevin said: ‘I think sexy firemen and pop band calendars are overdone.

‘Having a calendar about benches may be dull to some but is quite unique and fun.

‘Even Jack Grealish’s calves is a bit of a dull one as you don’t get to see the whole thing, but they’ve already been flying off the shelves and I’ve only printed one so far.

‘I like being named Britain’s dullest man, it’s like a badge of honour. I can’t believe people love my calendars as I just enjoy doing them as a hobby.’

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