A team of female paddleboarders decided to bare it all for charity on a cold Autumnal morning in Colwick.
Members of Team SUP, a paddleboarding club based in Nottingham, took to the waters of Colwick Lake on Friday to practise yoga poses completely naked.
The pictures will be used in a calendar being created to raise cash for Open House, a mental health charity in Hyson Green.
Local photographer Debbie Whitmore took the tasteful pictures, which aim to celebrate beauty and nature.
Cassie Paxton founded Team SUP in 2015 and now runs weekly classes in paddleboarding and yoga at both Colwick Lake and Highfields Lake.
She said: “I am passionate about the health and well being of women. All women are unique, beautiful and important and I want to empower and encourage women to be what they want to be and to see themselves as equal, worthy and special.
“I hope this calendar will help an amazing local charity, boost the confidence of local women, and also help people to see the beauty of Nottingham.”
The idea for the calendar came from Cassie’s teammate, Claire Hill, who lives in Carlton.
She told the Gedling Eye: “I’ve also seen how the amazing charisma of Cassie has helped boost the confidence of every woman that has taken to the water with her – and I thought that this was a fabulous way to further encourage women to face their fears.
“Everyone will look so great in the stunning setting of Colwick Lake. The whole experience has been liberating and empowering for the amazing women of SUP who have bared all and celebrated their shape and size. This calendar really demonstrates that we’re all beautiful, unique and real.”
Abigail Cast from Netherfield took part in the “scary but also empowering” early morning shoot.
She added: “I got involved in the calendar because it’s a great charity. When I saw my image I felt so proud of myself and more confident in myself and my body.”
The calendar, Ladies of the Lake 2017, is being printed by Inc Print, Nottingham and will cost £5 each. They can pre-ordered by contacting [email protected].
