A group of female firefighters in New Zealand have turned a small side project into a hugely successful fundraiser after launching the country’s first full female career firefighter calendar.

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Women make up only around 6% of career firefighters in New Zealand, and for decades the traditional firefighter calendar has largely reflected that imbalance.

But firefighters Nicole Koch, Samara Pepperell and Zoe Feau decided it was time for something different, creating the Wāhine Toa Firefighter Calendar to celebrate women in the profession while raising money for Breast Cancer Cure.

The project initially had a fundraising target of NZ$100,000, with every cent from calendar sales going directly towards the cause.

However, the response quickly exceeded expectations.

A short social media video was released to introduce the calendar, but instead of quietly building interest ahead of its launch, the clip exploded online.

Within hours, it had surpassed the reach of New Zealand’s long-running men’s firefighter calendar and, by the end of the day, had attracted millions of views alongside a surge in followers.

That online attention soon translated into sales.

The first print run completely sold out within just 26 hours, with orders later reopening as demand continued.

The campaign eventually raised close to NZ$300,000, enough to support at least one new breast cancer research project in New Zealand.

For Pepperell, the cause also carried a deeply personal connection, with her mother having experienced breast cancer before going into remission.

The women behind the project were also conscious that appearing in the calendar would not appeal to everybody.

Participation was entirely optional, with the organisers respecting the decisions of firefighters who did not want to pose while hoping the finished calendar would remain something women throughout the service could take pride in.

Photographer Flora Driessen was tasked with capturing the firefighters in a way that highlighted their strength, confidence and individuality without making the images feel forced.

The project also carries significance within the wider history of female firefighters in New Zealand.

Anne Barry became the first female firefighter in the Commonwealth in 1981 after challenging discriminatory hiring rules.

More than four decades later, women remain a small minority within New Zealand’s career firefighting workforce, making the launch of a dedicated female calendar another highly visible moment.

Its release did come during a difficult period for the profession, with firefighters raising concerns around staffing levels and ageing equipment.

Organisers therefore worked to separate the fundraising campaign from industrial action, with union support helping reinforce the distinction.

And while the calendar prompted discussion around empowerment and objectification, its organisers stressed that the entire project was led by the women involved and participation remained a matter of personal choice.

What started between a group of colleagues has now grown far beyond a one-off fundraiser.

Demand has continued, orders have reopened for the following year’s Wāhine Toa Firefighter Calendar, and organisers have confirmed the project will return.

For a profession in which women remain heavily underrepresented, the calendar has managed to combine visibility and pride with a fundraising total capable of making a genuine contribution to breast cancer research.

Featured image credit: RITESH SINGH / Pexels