Millennium men flex muscles for charity

Sex sells - and Aids Concern's fund-raisers will be banking on that when their Millennium Men Calendar 2000 hits the stores today.

Bella Luk, the charity's chief executive, says the 16 men who appear in the calendar are not professional models.

'They come from all walks of life and belong to various professions like teaching, accountancy, insurance and hospitality,' she says. 'They have very kindly donated their time and were willing to show their bodies for Aids Concern.' Bella says the black and white shoot by Taiwanese photographer Jeff Chou only took three days. 'Some of the men were quite shy at the start but once they warmed up it was fine . . . They all work out at the gym so they are in very good shape.' The calendar will be sold in seven countries - Hong Kong , Taiwan, Singapore, Japan, Canada, Britain and the United States. Bella hopes it will raise $200,000.

A launch party was held last night at California in Lan Kwai Fong, where some of the men in the calendar were auctioned off for charity to anyone who wanted a dance.

The calendar sells for $180, with a desktop version available for $80.

For more information on the calendar, call Bella on 2898 4411.