Ten years after they first took their clothes off for charity, the Calendar Girls have bared all again for a new calendar for 2010.

The six ladies – all members of Rylstone Women’s Institute – launched their latest venture at Harvey Nichols in Leeds on Monday in support of the charity Leukaemia Research.

“Never in a million years did we think that we would still be going on 10 years after we started,” said Calendar Girl Angela Baker.

Their original efforts were inspired by her husband, national park officer John Baker, who died at the age of 54 from non-Hodgkins lymphoma.

Angela and some of her friends suggested an “alternative” calendar to cheer him up and turned their idea into reality after he died.

Originally they had hoped to raise enough money to buy a sofa for the hospital where he was treated.

In fact, over the past decade they have raised £2 million for Leukaemia Research, with money still flooding in.

“Sometimes I have to pinch myself to remember that’s my story. I feel so many emotions, it’s hard to explain,” said Angela.

“John did know about the calendar and he said we were all talk, but I know he would have been so proud to know nearly £2 million has been raised for Leukaemia Research in his name.

“The money makes a huge difference to Leukaemia Research. There have been advances in treatment since John died but, unfortunately, research is very expensive.

“It is great for us to think we are helping in some way. That’s what it is all about. It is too late for John, but it might not be too late for someone else.”

After Monday’s launch, the women went to the Bexley Wing at St James’s Hospital, Leeds – one of the country’s largest cancer care centres – to rededicate a plaque to John’s memory.

The latest calendar boasts a new set of 12 images which, this time, are in full colour. They were taken by Terry Logan, who was the photographer for the original calendar launched in 1999 and is married to Calendar Girl Lynda Logan.

The other Calendar Girls are Tricia Stewart, Beryl Bamforth, Chris Clancy and Ros Fawcett.

Cathy Gilman, chief executive of Leukaemia Research, said: “Never underestimate the value of a small personal idea. The Calendar Girls could never have foreseen that, 10 years on, they would have raised so much money to help save lives and spare other families the pain of losing a loved one.”

* The Calendar Girls 2010 calendar costs £9.95 and is available from leukaemiashop.com or you can order by phone on 01736 336 960.