New Zealand’s first ever all-female professional firefighter calendar has officially sold out its first run — and raised an incredible $100,000 for breast cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment.

What started as a simple fundraising idea has now turned into a nationwide wave of support, pride, and global attention.

A Calendar With Heart — And Real Stories Behind Every Photo

Thirteen wāhine firefighters from nine stations across four cities stepped into the spotlight for the 2025 Wāhine Toa Firefighter Calendar. But behind the photos lies something deeper:
Many of the women involved have personal connections to breast cancer, whether through family, close friends, or colleagues who have fought the disease.

“A few of the girls from the calendar and throughout firefighting have had close connections with breast cancer, it just felt really fitting,” co-organiser Zoe Feau shared on Breakfast.

For an industry still heavily dominated by men, this project wasn’t just a photoshoot —
it was a moment of visibility, empowerment, and solidarity.

The Spark That Became a Nationwide Movement

The idea came from career firefighter and co-organiser Nicole Koch, who wanted to create something that showcased both strength and sisterhood in the fire service — while raising money for a cause deeply meaningful to their community.

Over the past two months, the calendar’s Instagram page exploded to 75,000 followers, fuelled by global reposts and support from firefighting and breast cancer communities around the world.

“We’ve been getting messages from all around the world…
People are really excited and want to buy the calendar. It’s actually been overwhelming,” Koch said.

Why This Calendar Hit Home Across Aotearoa

The overwhelming response speaks to something bigger:

• Representation in firefighting still matters.
  Only around 5% of NZ’s professional firefighters are women — visibility helps open doors.

• Breast cancer remains the most common cancer affecting women in NZ.
  Almost every Kiwi knows someone impacted.

• People want to support fundraisers with authenticity.
  This calendar wasn’t corporate — it was community-driven, personal, raw, and full of heart.

What’s Next for Wāhine Toa?

With the first run sold out and demand pouring in from overseas, organisers are already looking at a potential second print — and possibly turning this into an annual initiative.

There’s also early talk of expanding the movement into:

• Fire station open days for women and girls

• Community fitness events

• Breast cancer awareness partnerships

• A documentary-style series following wāhine in the fire service

Whatever comes next, the calendar has already changed the landscape:
it proved that wāhine firefighters can lead, inspire, and unite the country — all while raising life-changing funds.

Wellington, What Do You Think?

Would you buy a second print?
Should Wellington create its own regional edition featuring our local wāhine firefighters?
Do fundraisers like this help humanise our emergency services?

Although the calendar’s organisers haven’t released a station-by-station breakdown, Wellington is understood to be one of the strongest contributors to the wāhine cohort — with the capital likely having more women firefighters represented among the nine stations involved. Wellington’s stations have long been among the most diverse in the country, and this campaign highlights how strongly the region shows up when it comes to women leading from the front.