As many members will be aware, a team of volunteers and professionals have been working hard over the last three years to develop and implement a masterplan for the Sunfolk site acquired by BN in 2020.
After numerous surveys, site meetings, technical drawings, and negotiations with the local planning authority, the hard work paid off in February when we were finally able to start work on the first phase of the development masterplan.
When BN acquired Sunfolk, it already enjoyed many great features as a legacy of the dedication and investments made in the site by generations of Naturists who have cared for the site since its foundation in 1931. It enjoys a convenient location with plenty of south-facing lawn space as well as wooded areas, and an excellent swimming pool.
However, it was also clear that other areas could benefit from redevelopment and improvement. The masterplan focuses on retaining everything that is great about the site, whilst improving some areas to provide the access and facilities our future visitors will rightly expect to ensure that the site thrives in its second century of operation.
There are two phases of work, both of which the Sunfolk redevelopment team hope to complete before the site reopens for the 2024 season.
In phase one, the clubhouse will be renovated and extended to include a new sun room, kitchen, meeting room and toilets, surrounded by a new decked area with outdoor seating, and improved access to make it easier for all visitors to enjoy the clubhouse and pool area.
New sunbathing lawns will also be created by removing worn out sports courts, the car parking area will be extended and improved, and a new hot tub and sauna will be installed between the clubhouse and the pool.
In phase two, glamping pods will be installed to provide another option for overnight visitors. We also hope to add an archive building, accommodation for our volunteer wardens, and outdoor play and fitness equipment for visitors of all ages to enjoy.
Since work started on site in February, we have some great progress – despite some unusually wet spring months. Old storage buildings and the worn-out sports courts have been removed from site, and the existing clubhouse has been stripped back to its frame. The new clubhouse extension has also started to emerge from the ground with foundations and much of the timber frame already in place.
Redeveloping the site is a complex and long-term project which has unfortunately meant closing the site for the whole of the 2023 season. This wasn’t an easy decision to make, but allows our local building contractor Lucian to work through the (hopefully) fine summer months and complete both phases of work before the site re-opens to guests next year.
Careful financial management by successive BN leadership teams have created financial reserves which mean that we are able to fund most of the redevelopment work directly. Our reserves have also been supplemented by development loans that a small number of members have kindly chosen to make, through tied funds received from The Sun Folk Society as part of the acquisition of Sunfolk, and from the Singles Outdoor Club.
However, more funding will be required to ensure that we can complete the project as planned. We are enormously grateful to everyone who donated to the recent crowdfunding campaign, and are planning further fundraising activity over the next few months for those who would like (and are able) to make a financial contribution to secure the future success of British Naturism: Sunfolk
There will also be plenty of options for members to show their support for the redevelopment project in other ways. One of the benefits of closing the site for an extended period is that it provides an opportunity to establish new sunbathing lawns ready for use in 2024, and to repair some of the damage to the existing lawns that has inevitably happened during the redevelopment of the clubhouse. We’ll be looking for volunteers to help with this work through the summer and autumn, as well as during the run-up to site re-opening in 2024
If you’d like to find out more about the redevelopment project, why not check out the Members Area where you’ll find links to detailed project updates, pictures of the site redevelopment, and details of how you can get involved with supporting the project through fundraising or volunteering your time on site.