A Dunedin firefighter who took his kit off for a mental health charity says true strength is "about having the courage to be vulnerable".
Dunedin Firefighter Brad Stringer, aka "Mr August", is among one of 12 firefighters nationally who have taken their shirts off for the 2026 Kiwi Firefighters Calendar.
All proceeds will go to the Movember Foundation.
Mr Stringer said Movember, and all that the charity did, meant a lot to him.
"This is a cause I hold quite close to home — firefighting, in particular, can carry a stigma of being tough, but there’s definitely moments that are really hard.
"We still lose a lot of people to suicide."
He said what was great about the calendar was that it showed strength was not just physical, but it was "also about having the courage to be vulnerable".
Mr Stringer said his family had definitely had their fair share of struggles.
"For me and my wife, we had a miscarriage earlier in the year, so that was pretty tough on us."
"It was the best thing we could have done — and makes you really think how many people are struggling in silence."
The couple are expecting a child early next year.
He had also lost his brother-in-law to suicide a few years ago.
"It’s been pretty tough. Just talking to people has been really good. I’ve reached out myself to counsellors when I felt I needed it and they’re worth their weight in gold."
The experience of getting "glammed up" for a photo shoot was new to him.
The firefighters who featured in the calendar were flown to Auckland, where they had their makeup and hair done, and were "oiled up".
Before their shoot, they were given a chance to go outside for some last-minute weight-lifting to "get a bit of a pump on".
"It was a real good group of people, lots of laughs on the day."
Mr Stringer’s wife was a big fan of the calendar, and was having a good time "selling" him to her friends and co-workers. His auntie had got a little over-eager and tried to buy multiple copies of the calendar before it went on sale.
"Turns out she was ordering the 2025 ones ... what’s worse is she even thought she found me in it."
A copy of the 2026 calendar will take pride of place at the St Kilda Fire Station, where it is set to be August year-round.
■ The Kiwi Firefighters Calendar can be bought at PaperPlus or ordered online from kiwifirefighterscalendar.co.nz for $24.95.
