St Clare's Hospice, in Jarrow, is set to launch its first calendar, to help meet its £1.6m annual running costs.

Talented local snappers submitted a wealth of great pictures, with Gazette chief photographer Tim Richardson choosing the best 12 for the fundraising calendar for 2010.

He said: "The quality of entries was high, from photographers based all over the area, and it was quite a job to pick the best.

"But I whittled all the pictures down to what I thought were the dozen strongest images."

The hospice calendar will include photographs of such iconic local landmarks as St Paul's Church, Jarrow, the Groyne, Arbeia Roman Fort and Marsden Rock, South Shields, plus the Tyne bridges and the Angel of the North.

About 1,500 copies of the calendar will be on sale from late August, with the proceeds boosting the care of day and residential patients with life-threatening illnesses at the hospice, in Primrose Terrace, Jarrow.

Hospice corporate fundraiser Sylvia Stoneham said: "The calendar will include some great pictures.

"We had photographs sent in from all over the area, including some from members of photographic societies.

"It was difficult for Tim to choose 12 images, but I think the pictures he selected are very strong.

"The calendar will provisionally sell for £3.50 and will be available from our hospice shops and many other outlets.

"We were also delighted to win sponsorship from local businesses for each month in the calendar."

Call the hospice on 451 6378 to order a copy of the 2010 calendar.

The calendar snappers
JANUARY – St Simon's Church. (George Wanless)
FEBRUARY – breaking waves at Souter Lighthouse. (Colin Dudley)
MARCH – Angel of the North. (Len Stoneham)
APRIL – St Paul's Church. (Len Stoneham)
MAY – Arbeia Roman Fort. (John Reed)
JUNE – South Marine Park. (Michael Blagden) JULY –Tyne Bridges. (Tom Sterling)
AUGUST – the Groyne. (Alan Dodds)
SEPTEMBER – Marsden Rock. (Alan Dodds)
OCTOBER – West Park, South Shields. (George Wanless)
NOVEMBER – St Pauls, Jarrow. (Michael Blagden)
DECEMBER – Tyne Sunset. (Alan Dodds)