As someone who was fortunate enough to be at the world premiere of Calendar Girls in September last year, and to have met Angela Baker (the inspiration for Julie Walters' character) on several occasions, I would like to say that this is an amazing true story beautifully realised on film.

In real life the "Girls" are just as inspiring, funny and brave as you expect them to be. I think that it is important to remember that there is a very serious message underlying this film - the devastation that a disease like leukaemia (or lymphoma, which Angela's husband died from in real life) can wreak on a family.

The charity that the original Calendar Girls donated to is the Leukaemia Research Fund, and I would encourage anyone who was moved by the film to seek them out and make a donation at www.lrf.org.uk. So far the girls have raised just over £1 million, but there is still so much to do to fight these deadly diseases.