Calendar Girls 2004 - the calendar of the film (Penguin £9.99)

PROBABLY the most eagerly awaited look at next year since Pirelli in its heyday, this production, like the film it helps to publicise, is all done in the best possible taste.

Inspired by the middle-aged Yorkshire ladies of Rylestone, who set out to raise money for the Leukaemia Research Fund by posing nude for an alternative WI calendar, this too will hand over a percentage of royalities from its sale to the charity that is dedicated to finding cures for blood-related cancers such as leukaemia, lymphoma, Hodgkins disease and myeloma.

It was when John Baker, assistant National Parks Officer for the Yorkshire Dales fell ill with cancer that the idea of the calendar was born.

Sadly, he died before the project was complete, but the sunflowers he gave to friends in the hope that he would have recovered by the time they flowered has now become an unofficial symbol for all leukaemia and lymphoma fund raising.

The poser of a movie tie-in includes six of the original WI ladies - Baker's Half Dozen - alongside the stars of the film, which is due to be released on Sunday, September 7.

Here, you can see Helen Mirren (Miss January) squeezing a bountiful harvest; Julie Walters (Miss February) as England's pleasant pastures seen; Annette Crosbie (Miss September) "reminding members that dress was barely formal" and Celia Imrie (Miss November) complete with precisely positioned cherries, serving up buns for afternoon tea.

What a delight!

The original calendar raised £578,000 for the Leukaemia Research Fun. Let's hope this will raise more - including a few smiles along the way.

David Chapman