Colleagues of murdered Samantha Eastwood sold more than 1,000 ‘Call the Midwife’ calendars in her memory.

More than 100 participants - including 35 midwives from the maternity unit - were involved in putting together the calendar to raise much-needed funds for the Royal Stoke University Hospital.

They have so far raised more than £15,000 to pay for improvements at Royal Stoke to create a legacy to Samantha.

The popular 28-year-old was murdered by 32-year-old Michael Stirling at her Baddeley Green home on July 28.

Stirling, of Cromer Road, Northwood, was jailed for 17 years 52 days in December.

Professional midwifery advocate Judith Davies organised the calendar shoot following the tragedy.

The 53-year-old, from Dresden, said: “We have raised around £15,000 and a lot of the money came from JustGiving. But we ordered 1,500 calendars, gave a couple away, but sold over 1,000 raising £10,000.

“We’re now thinking about how we can spend the money to reflect Sam. We did it originally to raise money for women’s services and we want all of the staff to be involved. We’ll be putting up suggestion boxes so people can help create a legacy for Sam.

“The reaction has been amazing and it just shows what the University Hospitals of North Midlands (UHNM), Stoke-on-Trent, and the wider community thought of Sam. What happened had a massive effect on the fund-raiser.”

Pictured: Samantha's sister Gemma Eastwood, left, and Hayley Lightfoot with her daughter Grace.

Samantha, who was missing for eight days before her body was found near Caverswall, had signed up to take part in the calendar prior to her death.

But her sister Gemma Eastwood decided to bravely step in and take her place when the NHS workers went ahead with the photoshoot at Gladstone Pottery.

The calendar was shot in a 1940s-style featuring iconic city locations including the hospital and Longton Park.

Samantha Eastwood, left, and Michael Stirling, right

Judith added: “This is a massive legacy and just shows what people thought of Sam and the midwifery family. Midwives affect a lot of people from aunties, daughters, sisters - everyone.

“Doing the calendar ended up having a positive effect on the whole team. The fact everyone took part had a big impact and everyone felt they were doing something good from something very bad.”

The ‘Call the Midwife’ calendars are still available at the Royal Stoke maternity unit or online via ebay.
