Gail, Jet Black Squares Oxford, supports local charity calendar

This time of year is all about giving back where we can, so when Gail Lambert, who runs Jet Black Squares Oxford, heard about a charity calendar shoot in support of a local school, she was delighted to help.

The Hundred Acres in Bicester is a family run pub headed by landlady Liz Curtis. Liz has worked hard to transform the pubs reputation in the last two years and part of this has been making it into a family friendly establishment. Bardwell school is a local special educational needs school, which is well supported in the local community, and it was one of the parents who got in touch with Gail to help with the shoot.

Pub staff and families took their turn posing around the bar to create a ‘nearly nude’ festive calendar. All of the shots that Gail took were captured using only her smartphone camera.

Profits from the calendar will be given directly to the school, who have been facing increasing cuts in recent years. A parent with children at Bardwell School, David Ford, said: “In these times of limited funding, this is massive for our school.” Landlady Liz commented: "It’s nice to have all the families involved, and we just want to bring the community together.”

The pub will also be holding a raffle with donated prizes, one of which is a voucher that can be redeemed on one of Gail’s Oxfordshire smartphone safaris.

The calendar shoot was a first for Gail who had lots of fun running the shoot.

“It was really nice for everyone involved too. Everyone was heavily involved with the selection of photos. It was very much a group decision.

“The men wore jockstraps and dickie bows. The ladies were not fully revealed either. We had well placed bottles of wine, pint glasses, and people wore things to cover themselves up.

“It was a very enlightening experience. They were all really good sports.

"By the end of the shoot I’d forgotten everyone was walking around semi-naked. It was just like being on a beach.”

The calendars are available to buy at the Hundred Acres pub, in Hart Place in Bicester.

Would you like to find out more about smartphone photography

Gail runs smartphone safaris across Oxfordshire, including Bicester, Oxford and Banbury.

If you would like to get in touch, book on a group safari, or find out more about a 1:1 session, visit her page, here.

What’s on at Jet Black Squares this autumn?

As we get further into the autumn, this can be a great time of year to get out and about and enjoy some outdoor activities in a cooler climate. It is also a beautiful time to get out into nature and capture the changing of the season. So, here are our autumn smartphone safari highlights that will make for a fun day out for the whole family.

Join Jeanne in some beautiful North Hertfordshire spots

Brocket Hall

Brocket Hall (grounds only) - 22nd September

Hitchin - More dates coming soon

Brocket Hall - 24th September 

Hertford - 30th September 

Join JULIE for her iconic cornish safaris

Boscastle

Bude - 21st September, 14th October, 28th October, 6th November, 7th December 

Boscastle - 20th September, 15th October, 27th October, 7th November, 8th December 

Join GAIL for an explore of OXFORDshire

Bodleian library in oxford

Bicester - 22nd September, 8th October, 25th November  

Woodstock - 6th October, 17th November

Oxford - 29th September, 14th October, 11th November

Banbury - 3rd November

Join MARY in and around WATFORD

Revelry Lodge

Chorleywood Estate - 19th September 

Revelry Lodge - 21st September 

Bushey Rose Garden (wheelchair accessible) - 25th September  

Join TIM for some FASCINATING LONDON safaris

Little Venice

Richmond-upon-Thames - 7th October, 27th October

Paddington Basin - 12th October

Covent Garden - 27th September, 6th October, 28th October

Windsor - 30th September, 21st October

Camden - 13th October

Join IMI for beautiful views in YORK

York Minster

York - 25th September, 9th October, 18th October 

Join Jack in exciting Manchester

Manchester Town Hall

Manchester - 30th September, 1st October, 14th October, 15th October, 28th October, 29th October

Join LISA in the stunning SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS

Invergordon Mural Trail

Inverness - 2nd October 

Invergordon Mural Trail (suitable for cruise passengers) - 25th September, 29th September, 8th October 

Chanonry Point - 23rd September 

Join JET and experience LONDON, ST ALBANS & REDBOURN

The Shard from London Bridge station

Southbank low light/nighttime - 13th October 

St James Park - 9th October 

Southbank (daytime) - 13th October 

Kings Cross - 15th October 

London Bridge - 21st October 

Soho and Chinatown - 28th September, 5th October 

Barbican - 26th September, 18th October 

Brick Lane - 15th October 

Carnaby Street and Soho Christmas Lights - 22nd November, 6th December, 4th December 

St Albans (Herts) - 8th October, 22nd October

Redbourn (Herts) FREE Snap & Chat - 23rd October, 20th November, 11th December (evening - Christmas lights) 

You can find out more about our Snap & Chat sessions here.

As well as our group safaris listed above, we also offer private 1:1/family smartphone safaris.

This time of year, many parents are also looking for a Duke of Edinburgh Award skill for their child, which we offer. Our Duke of Edinburgh sessions includes a complimentary adult place, and you don’t have to buy any expensive equipment either!

Please do get in touch with jet@jetblacksquares.com for more details.