Streak of inspiration

Dec 8 2007 by Audrey Barton, The Journal

REGULAR ladies at a North Tyneside pub have bared all to become real life Calendar Girls.

The 14 brave souls – one for each month of the year, one on the back and one on the front of the calendar – appear with just an assortment of seasonal flowers bursting into bloom to hide their modesty from cover to cover.

The lovelies, some of them more mature ladies, from the Tynemouth Lodge Hotel have stripped off to raise money for the Royal Victoria Infirmary Children’s Cancer Ward in Newcastle.

This is the second year the punters have shed their clothing after the men posed for pictures last year and raised over £2,500 for the ward.

The idea came from a “merry” chat around a pub table one Sunday and came to fruition thanks to manager Damian King.

This year’s Tynemouth Lodge Hotel calendar was born with a different shot of a regular lady each month posing with flowers and leaves supplied and arranged by Fleurt in Monkseaton.

Some of the months are themed, with a heart of roses to spare Miss February’s blushes, a flower umbrella for April showers, a pair of pumpkins strategically placed for October’s Halloween shot and a festive red wreath in December.

The summer months are depicted with sunflowers and a Hawaiian necklace while September signals the start of autumn with a leafy creation.

The calendar is on sale now with all proceeds going to the RVI ward.