In a major new undertaking, British Naturism has taken over the land and property of The Sun-Folk Society. Not only does this secure the future of the Sunfolk site and its character as a popular naturist club, it will also present opportunities that we expect will form a central tool in the advancement of naturism in the years ahead. The property will in future be known as “British Naturism: Sunfolk”.
This is excellent news both for former members of The Sun-Folk Society, who will continue to be able to enjoy the facility, and for British Naturism.
It has often been observed that, despite being the representative organisation of UK naturism, British Naturism lacked facilities that could demonstrate how good naturism can be. This acquisition presents a fantastic opportunity to make the property into a modern naturist leisure and event space and set the gold standard for naturist locations in the UK.
The site in question was the property of the Sun-Folk Society, situated at How Wood, between St Albans and Watford, at the junction of the M1 and the M25, a 15-minute walk from the nearest railway station. It is one of three naturist clubs in the area.
The Sun-Folk Society is one of the oldest clubs in the UK, founded in 1931. Arguably it is the perfect representation of the origins of UK naturism. It’s a beautiful site, bordered by a spinney of woodland, featuring sizeable lawns, a camping area, and a modern covered swimming pool, alongside a timber clubhouse full of character.
Over the last year, it has become apparent to the Sun-Folk members that for the site to flourish, it was necessary to pass on the duty of stewardship, leading them to approach British Naturism. Confidential negotiations have been proceeding over the last few months and have now concluded to the satisfaction of all parties. We are very pleased that we are now able to announce that on the 13th March 2020, the property was signed over to British Naturism.
The acquisition means several things:
1) The future of the site as a naturist facility is now secure. This is a site that will be used exclusively for the practice and furtherance of naturism.
2) The legacy of the society is preserved and the name Sunfolk will always be associated with the land. The longevity of UK naturism is a powerful campaigning tool, it demonstrates that naturism should be taken seriously and is not a passing fad. The fact that our facility will be underwritten by nearly 90 years of history will prove that.
3) Former members of the Sun-Folk Society can continue to enjoy the site into which they poured so much love. Wider British Naturism members, too, will also be able to enjoy the site.
4) That the financial resources of the Sun-Folk Society can be invested in creation of new, tangible services on the site and will not simply bleed away as they are spent on maintenance.
A question that might be asked is whether this means that British Naturism is now a campsite operator or a property developer, rather than a campaigning and community organisation. The answer is no. Creation of British Naturism: Sunfolk represents an unique opportunity both to save naturism at the site and to use it for the practice and furtherance of naturism. It was the obvious and right thing to do.
The proximity of the site to London and the excellent transport links can make the site a campaigning hub. If we are meeting influencers and policy makers, we will be able to host the talks on our site, so delegates are surrounded by naturists in a stunning environment. A first-hand experience of how great naturism really can be will have a huge impact on the perceptions of those we want to persuade.
This is just the beginning of our work on this project. Much planning remains to be done as we develop the vision for the future of British Naturism: Sunfolk. But this represents a huge step forwards in our ability to promote naturism and news will continue to come out over the coming months as matters move forward.