Australian farmers have stripped down for a naked calendar photoshoot in a charity effort to raise funds for their cash-strapped community, writes the Daily Star. The saucy pictures depict the rural farmers in the buff, obscured from view with all manner of farm machinery, including tractors, various tools, implements, grain and of course, farm animals.
The cheeky nude snaps were inspired by Ben Brooksby aka “The Naked Farmer”, who stripped to draw attention to issues that mentally challenged people have to contend with.
Organiser Ellie Burstal said:
“My boyfriend, Chris Carrie, and I saw The Naked Farmer on Facebook and really liked the idea behind it.Our local community was going through a rough time with the drought affecting the local farmers and a sudden spike in suicides in our rural area.So we contacted The Naked Farmer and asked him if it would be okay to use a similar idea for our local area and he was very encouraging.We get a lot of different reactions from the people asked to take part in the calendar.”
According to Burstal, they were amazed at how many people were ready to accept the challenge, brave the weather and shed their own inhibitions to try and help make a difference.
“Most that took part in the calendar were genuinely nervous and there was a lot of joking around to try and distract themselves.”
“But our amazing photographer, Chontelle Perrin, made everyone feel comfortable and it was a quick process.”
Ellie added that although the calendars can’t magically make one better, they hope they might encourage someone to reach out for help and find the support they need before giving up hope.
Residents of the Hilltops, New South Wales, have fallen on hard times of late, with not only a devastating drought, which in itself is hardly news in Australia, but also a spike in suicides in the wake of the dire circumstances people have found themselves in.
The campaign received a great deal of support from the community.