Roundabouts idea still going ten years on

Buy photos » It’s been ten years since Kevin Beresford first launched the Roundabouts of Redditch calendar. Picture by Marcus Mingins 3012022MMR

TEN years ago Redditch man Kevin Beresford released a quirky calendar of one of the borough's most talked about features.

Little did he know his Roundabouts of Redditch calendar would spark numerous media appearances on shows such as Top Gear and Have I Got News for You as well as a global cult following.

Over the years the project has spawned a number of spin-offs including a Roundabouts of Great Britain edition and Mr Beresford has also penned three books on the subject, the first of which sold 20,000 copies.

Now to mark the landmark occasion a special tenth anniversary edition of the calendar is being released as well as mouse mats, place mats, key rings and other merchandise. The calendar will also be featured on a forthcoming edition of Come Dine With Me and an NBC crew from America have filmed a documentary on English eccentricity which includes Mr Beresford.

The formal launch of the UK Roundabout Appreciation Society is also set to take place next month of which broadcaster and Today Show presenter John Humphrys has become an honorary member after featuring the calendar on the BBC Radio 4 programme.

Astwood Bank resident Mr Beresford told the Standard: "Never in a million years did we think it would take off like it has. We did it as a joke but once they showed it on the Graham Norton Show it just went ballistic. I ran out of roundabouts in Redditch in the end and it spawned other things.

"At the time we had three prisons and no cinema so we have improved a lot since then. It's nice Redditch is the epicentre of this worldwide cult we have picked up."

Visit www.roundaboutsofbritain.com to order a copy of the calendar and other products available.

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