Alex Howard emailed us just before Christmas with news of this good cause. If you’re looking for that extra late present or indeed a very fine calendar to adorn your wall – something that will undoubtedly add a bit of extra ‘sunshine’ to your year – look no further than Girls of Yachting 2007. Britain’s Women’s Institute ladies started the craze, now it seems it’s the done thing to remove one’s kit in the interests of charity. It’s all for a good cause although I must say the Girls of Yachting are, with all due respect, quite a different prospect to what the WI had to offer!

The excellent cause in this instance is fund-raising for Jody Hill a popular and experienced yacht skipper, most recently aboard the 1936 classic Flicka, who was involved in a serious accident in the British Virgin Islands last May. The car he was travelling in rolled down an embankment leaving him with severe spinal injuries. He has been left paralysed from the waist down.

That was last May and Jody has been in hospital just about ever since. At this stage there is a very little hope of recovery and with big medical bills Jody needs help. To get the ball rolling 12 willing girls from yachting agreed to be photographed virtually au naturel. Ali, Destiny, Eva, Fran, Heather, Helen, Katie, Lucy, Noona, Sam, Sophie and Tanni were photographed by Rowan Smith and Patrick Carter for the calendar sponsored by Antigua Yacht Club Marina and Harmony Hall, the well known restaurant on the island. The resulting calendar is quite a stunner!

If you would like to buy a calendar and support this cause to help Jody Hill, they cost Euros 20 (£14) or Euros 25 (£17) by post. You can buy them by making £ cheques payable to Alex Howard and Euros cheques payable to Eli Plenier. Send your order and cheque to Alex Howard, c/o Plenier, 24, Rue des Casemates, 06600 Antibes, France. Further details are available from Alex at AlexisHoward@compuserve.com. 100 per cent of all money raised goes to Jody. Alex says please feel free to send more money than the advertised price!