Selling oneself for charity's sake: They say that much of the enjoyment of travel is in theanticipation, and that certainly seems to be the case for James Whelan, IT director atSouthport law firm Barnetts.

He certainly looks to be enjoying the close attentions of a bevy of the firm's female staff, as they supposedly help him limber up before he joins a charity trek up to the Everest base camp.

There is now something almost quaintly old-fashioned about the old PR trick of surrounding some guy with lots of attractive women to make apublicity picture more appealing, but that did not stop Barnetts.

From the left, Abbi McIntosh, Heather Pearson (who doesn't appear thrilled about it all, it must be said), Lauren Oldfield, Lynne Baker and Tracy Wilson are the lucky ladies who got to paw Mr Whelan, but it is all in a good cause - the 30-strong group aims to raise 250,000 for disabled children charity Whizz Kidz, and Barnetts alone is hoping to raise 10,000 of that.