IMAGINE if you will, stripping naked, covering yourself in baby oil and sinking into Cannop Ponds. In November!

That's what Bethany Shaw endured to raise funds for Help the Heroes charity to contribute to 'January' for a classy yet risque new calender which will go on sale from December 5.

"I love water, that's why I wanted to do a water shoot. But it was, I can only say, freezing," says Bethany, from Lydney. "I went completely numb. Another five minutes I would probably have died."

At least her mum was by the pond with a handy towel for a warming rub down.

The 'Team ReadShaw in the Raw" charity calendar is the brainchild of best friends, Bethany and Amy Read, a health care assistant also from Lydney.

From idea to reality, the calendar's take just about a month, remarkable considering this has meant engaging a photographer the girls could trust, getting people to strip "butt naked", set up locations (all or most within the Forest) and sort out printing, production and promotion.

The first shoot wasn't until November 3. The last shoot, involving a few of the models was last Sunday at Bishopswood House in Ross-on-Wye.

Surprisingly, there wasn't too much arm twisting to get people involved.

"None of us had done this before," said Amy. "It was friends of friends and word of mouth, but most were really up for it. We were all new, all fresh and some of the girls were a bit cautious, but they trusted us to know it would be classily done. There's a thin line between something that's tasteful, and something that just isn't."

Photographer, Cassie Linton, originally from Bream, but now based in Newnham, made sure the line wasn't crossed.

As for the months. Bethany was January and water. February was strategically placed chocolates marking Valentine's Day. April showers were boots and an umbrella shot in woods near Coleford. June was flowers covering those "important bits". July, the Union Jack. November is Sadie Baldwin aboard Amy's dad, Martin's SRS Cinderford articulated lorry. Sadie's husband, Lance Corporal Ricky Baldwin was serving with 5 Rifles in Germany when he died in a road accident last June.

"I was delighted to be asked to join in with the calendar because Help for Heroes is a charity helping wounded soliders. After all the army and the soldiers have done for us, it's nice to be able to repay them in some way."

October was shot in a garage with a tyres and bikes theme. And there's also one of Lydney boxer, Chris Higgs using his boxing gloves to give some cover for Bethany and Amy.

The "Team ReadShaw in the Raw" calendar will be launched at Lydney's British Legion Club on December 5 from 7.30pm til late. Admission is free, but be aware, full dress code should be observed. In other words, clothes.

More details from helpforheroescalendar2010 @hotmail.com