Australians strip for charity

SYDNEY - Nearly 300 Australians Sunday stripped down to their underwear and paraded through Sydney in an attempt to break a world record and raise money for a charity.

The group of 278 men and women walked from Sydney’s Martin Place to the Opera House to raise 70,000 Australian dollars ($90,3146) for the Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience (AIME) charity, the AAP news agency reported.

The organisation pairs university students with indigenous high school students as part of its mentoring scheme.

Once at the Opera House, the group spelt out the letters “AIME” on the iconic building’s steps.

It was an attempt to break the record for the world’s largest swimwear parade, said the organisers Strut the Streets.

The Guinness World Record is currently held by 603 participants who stripped off in Johannesburg in October.

AIME CEO Jack Manning Bancroft was very happy and said: “It’s really important to share the serious message behind what often seems like a comical, almost ridiculous event. Every dollar raised at AIME Strut the Streets goes towards supporting more indigenous kids to complete high school.”