DARING villagers bared all for a calendar that raised more than £2,000 for charity.
Hurley residents stripped off for some cheeky photographs in the style of bygone days.
Former groundsman Fred Furneaux was snapped mowing in the nude a day before his 70th birthday.
Originally all the proceeds were to be donated to the Thames Valley and Chiltern Air Ambulance Trust but when several villagers were hit by cancer, £1,000 was also raised for the Sunrise Cancer Unit in High Wycombe. An additional £518 was raised for the Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Trust.
Lyn Powell, who works at the village shop, said: “It was so sad to lose people while we were making the calendar but this was a fun way to raise the money.”
The calendar was dedicated to the memory of Barry Thomas, Tessa Lomas, Jean Bowley and Tony Evans. Brian “Lou” Looms died after it was printed.
Mr Furneaux needed a couple of drinks and a bit of persuasion before he would strip off. He said: “I didn’t think I would ever do anything like that — I’m not an exhibitionist. My wife and daughter were there to watch the cricket and got a bit of a shock. They said I didn’t give away any secrets, which was good.”
Mrs Powell’s husband Ken posed nude as a “March hare”.
He said: “You do have to be a bit discreet about doing these pictures. You don’t want to offend anyone. Everyone volunteered to take part. No one had to be press-ganged into it because it was for a great cause.”
Mrs Powell thanked John Lake, landlord of the Dew Drop pub, and the owners of the Flower Pot and Rising Sun, where calendars were sold.
Jackie Hobbs, volunteer for the air ambulance charity, said: “We’re very grateful. It’s a brilliant calendar and I think they were very brave to pose like this. I thought I wouldn’t recognise them with their clothes on!”
Laugh with Martin — page 6
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Published on 15 December 2008
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