Some women strip off for animal rights, some to support their favorite politicians, others to protest against discrimination. But Russia’s so-called “Calendar Girls”, are baring all to help some of the most stigmatized people in society.

­Most will associate the name Calendar Girls with the famous British play – later a hit movie – based on a true story.  It revolves around a group of middle-aged women, “members of a very ordinary Yorkshire branch of the Women’s Institute, who spark a global phenomenon by persuading one another to pose for a charity calendar with a difference.”

They decide to undress in a bid to do something positive by raising money to help a friend’s husband fight cancer.

The play, written by Tim Firth, premiered in Russia last fall, with audiences responding to the story with open hearts.

It took the play’s Russian cast nearly a year to make up their minds to follow in their characters’ footsteps and create a feel-good calendar of their own.

According to the project’s producer, Elshan Mamedov, the women had to wait for the right moment to strip off in a good cause.

“At some point, [the market] became deluged with calendars featuring nude bodies,” said Mamedov. “Some were posing in favor of something, others protesting, others supporting sports teams, or showing their love of a national leader… Some would strip down for no reason at all. So we had many doubts about it. But our wonderful actresses were really desperate to help the Life foundation,” the producer explained.  

Money raised from the nude pictures will go to the Life charity to help drug and alcohol addicted people, and support those recently released from jail as they go through rehabilitation.