COMMUNITY spirit, imagination and the determination of the Countess Bathurst led to the Cirencester charity calendar selling out completely last week.

The calendar, which was an original idea by Lady Bathurst, has raised £3,000 for each of its three chosen charities, Shine Cirencester, Oak and Furrows and Cirencester Open Air Swimming Pool, with 1,000 calendars sold.

"I am delighted," Lady Bathurst said. "It is amazing and beyond my expectations.

"I had this idea for a calendar 20 years ago as I love taking photographs but never had the time. After I joined the facebook page, Cirencester a Local Town for Local People, a saw that there was so much talent in the community and so much pride in our town that I suggested a calendar and got a huge response."

Members of the facebook group have been involved in everything from nominating the charities, to choosing the front cover. "I consulted the community every step of the way. This has been a lovely community effort," Lady Bathurst explained.

She also received offers of help from many in the community with Adam Vines of Lounge Design helping to create the calendar, Jered Bolton designing a website to drive sales and Kevin Hutchings of Busy Fingers, a local printer producing everything at cost.

"Paul Skuse and the admin team at Cirencester a Local Town for Local People have also been amazing, with Paul even taking time out to stand on a market stall to help sell the calendar," Lady Bathurst said.

Retailers have also been key in selling the calendar.

As a way of saying thank you to Adam, Jered and Kevin, as well as the many sponsors, retailers, photographers and the team at Cirencester a Local Town for Local People, Lady Bathurst is holding a reception at her home in Cirencester Park on January 4. "We will present the charities with the cheques and say thank you to everyone who has been involved.

"I want to thank the people of Cirencester for adopting this little project of mine."

Lady Bathurst has promised that the calender will return next year, with the 2020 calendar. "We are starting all over again next year. It has been a real learning curve but we know what we are doing now," she said.