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WI members strip off again for outdoor calendar

Barwood/Aynsley The image shows a naked woman sitting on a bench with baskets of fruit and vegetables around her. She has a basket of apples modestly placed on her lap. Barwood/Aynsley
The women pictured in the calendar vary in age from late 50s to nearly 80

Members of a WI group have once again removed their clothes - all in the name of a good cause.

The Rothbury branch in Northumberland, who last year organised a fundraising skinny-dip, have followed it up with a naked calendar.

Sales of the calendar will raise money for HospiceCare North Northumberland.

Secretary Katy Nickolls said: "We are aged from late 50s to nearly 80 - all shapes and sizes - and beautiful".

Barwood/Aynsley The image shows a naked woman pictured with fishing paraphenalia on the banks of the river Coquet. She has her back to the camera and a bag discreetly covers her bottom Barwood/Aynsley
Jane Davis (pictured) is also chair of the Coquet River Action Group

"We had two photographers who came along last year for our skinny-dip at the coast, and afterwards they suggested the calendar," Ms Nickolls said.

“We live in the most beautiful corner of England, so we decided all our pictures would have to be outdoors," she added.

The photographs were taken across the year, in all weathers, and some at night.

Barwood/Aynsley The image shows the back of a naked woman with her arm raised to the sky against a backdrop of the northern lights Barwood/Aynsley
The women praised the skill and patience of the two photographers

"Some of the women actually found it very difficult," Ms Nickolls said. "There were tears, and some were a long way out of their comfort zone."

"We had a couple of members who were older who would have loved to have taken part, but then had hip replacement operations and just couldn't make it to the locations outdoors," she said.

Barwood/Aynsley The image shows a woman sitting on a stone wall, with fields and hills behind her. She is naked apart from some strategically-placed knitting covering part of her body Barwood/Aynsley
The group say Northumberland is one of the most beautiful places in England

The skinny-dip in 2023 raised more than £4000 for HospiceCare North Northumberland, and the women hope the calendar will raise even more.

Julie Frost, from the charity, said: "These are vital funds which will raise the profile of our services".

"The woman are certainly daring, and braved all manner of weather to get these fantastic, tasteful shots,” she added.

2024 marks the 25th anniverary of the groundbreaking Rylstone & District WI naked calendar whose creation became the subject of the film, Calendar Girls, starring Helen Mirren and Julie Walters.

Ms Nickolls added: "That anniversary made us feel we were really meant to do this."

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