TWENTY Monmouthshire women were inspired by the Rylstone Women's Institute Calendar Girls to bare all and help raise funds to save Usk's Memorial Hall.

The Rylstone women shot to fame ten years ago with their risque charity calendar to raise funds for cancer research - spurring thousans fo people to strip off in the name of charity, a hit film and now a top West End show starring Julie Goodyear and Kelly Brook.

The Usk fundraiser has been launched in a bid to help raise the £40,000 needed to carry out repairs and refurbishments to the hall.

Part of the roof is leaking and the kitchen needs refurbishing to bring it up to health and safety standards.

All the women taking part are members of organisations who use the hall from the Diabolical Drama group to Usk Silverscreen cinema club. Each group has pledged to do at least one fund-raising activity next year.

Secretary of the Memorial Hall and Argus columnist, Julie McGowan who came up with idea said: "We have been preparing a year-long list of fundraising events for 2010, with one event for each month.

"I then suggested that we do a 'calendar girls' style photo to advertise the event in the local Usk Diary.

"We had such fun doing that photo, that we decided to go ahead and do a full calendar during the summer."

Each picture, taken by Dan Price and Stephanie Burton from Graceward Gallery in Usk, focuses on an event taking place that month.

"The Usk Castle Pageant takes place in July so the backdrop for that month is the Castle and so on," added Mrs McGowan.

Former town Mayor Jill Jeremiah, who appears on the October, December and January covers admitted she was nervous about baring all for the camera.

"We were nervous but decided to take the bull by the horns and strip off to raise much-needed funds for our community hall which is owned by the town," said Mrs Jeremiah, a teacher at Overmonnow Primary School’s special needs unit.

"We haven’t seen the photo’s yet but we laughed so much doing the shoot."

"Once we relaxed it was great fun," added Mrs Jeremiah of Abergavenny Road, Usk. Mrs Jeremiah was highlighting the Grand quiz and The Late, Late Show, both held in the Hall.

Calender Girls 2010 has been sponsored by local businesses. One thousand copies are being printed and will be on sale in local retailers including Lindwalls newsagents on Bridge Street, Usk, at £5 from November 2.