About BN
British Naturism (BN) is internationally recognised as the UK’s national naturist organisation. It exists to unite and support naturists, to protect, and provide more naturist venues, to make social nudity acceptable in the UK and to provide comprehensive information on naturism and naturists around the world.
Formation
British Naturism came into being in 1964 when the British Sun Bathing Society and the Federation of British Sun Clubs merged. We are the UK member of the International Naturist Federation (INF), which has similar purposes to ours, but operates across the world. BN is one of 30 member federations in every continent (except Antarctica), 22 of them in Europe. INF also has correspondents in nine other countries, the majority not in Europe.
A volunteer organisation
We have approximately 12,000 individual members and over 100 sun clubs and swim groups who support the aims of the organisation through their subscriptions and receive certain other benefits in return.
British Naturism is a volunteer organisation. Any member (subject only to a minimum period of membership) can stand for election to the Executive Council (EC). We are governed by a constitution. This may, from time to time, be updated at the AGM, at which every member has a vote.
Through work with the media and by lobbying local and national government, BN has in recent years succeeded in raising the public profile of naturism.
Who runs British Naturism?
As mentioned above, British Naturism is run by elected volunteers and a small, paid staff at our Head Office in Northampton.
The Executive Council (the EC) has sixteen members who give their time free, though they can claim expenses for travel etc. It is our board of management, meeting 4 or 5 times a year to discuss questions of policy, administration, finance and marketing, and so forming strategies for the future. Eight members of the EC have specific areas of responsibility – the President, Chairman, Vice Chairman, Sports Officer, International Officer, Youth Officer, Public Relations Officer and Research & Liaison Officer. They are each elected by the whole membership. The other eight are regional representatives, one from each of eight regions. Only members in that region can vote for them. The EC, or the regional committee, as the case may be, has the power to co-opt a member to fill a casual vacancy. Each member of the EC is elected for two years, half the posts being elected each year. Each member of the EC has a vote at meetings.
A Members’ Representative – not an elected post - is appointed by the President to be a point of contact, information and advice to members living in the region they serve. Generally, each region has one, some two, and the Representatives are often people who are on the EC. There is no limit to the time they can serve, in fact, they often only change when a Representative decides not to continue.