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News and Articles
News and articles about BN and the wonderful world of Naturism
Join us on the night via the BN shop
How are we all doing? Nights are drawing in, getting a bit chillier, but we're still here for you!
Missing some of your lovely faces as of late, hope I haven't offended you. Please do keep coming to classes and supporting us, I know life is back to normal for most but it would be a shame to loose this lovely community we have built online over the last 2 1/2 years.
Still 5 classes on each week for you to come to:
Chair - seated or standing using your chair for support, suitable for all abilities.
Vinyasa - Tuesdays, can be a challenging practice at times but suitable for most (as long as you can easily move from the ground up and down).
Yin - Wednesdays, mostly seated or lying down, a very slow but deep practice. Can be adapted to suit most people as we aren't getting up and down. Working deep into the body.
Strong Vinyasa - Fridays, not suitable for complete beginners or those with mobility challenges as we are moving quite fast. Good physical workout.
Forest Yoga - Sundays - the class is taken by Tor, very accessible (if you come to chair Yoga this is a really good other class for you). Gentle movements and plenty of time to slow down and check in. Elements of meditation too.
Don't forget about all of the other sessions on the naked fitness site too. I know money is tight for lots at the moment, but our classes are such good value compared to other wellness and fitness classes elsewhere!
Hope to see you on our mats again soon,
Namaste x
Book now for all the above classes and other Naked Fitness (Fitness classes, meditation, Fitsteps, GroovX)
It’s an opportunity to find out more about the INF, the work currently going on to help it become more visible and effective, and the plans for next year.
Join us on the night via the BN shop
The organisation, which marks its 70th anniversary next year, took a number of important decisions which will help it be more effective and visible. The anniversary will be celebrated at an event at Montalivet in France in September which will feature workshops and other meetings alongside more “fun” activities such as wine and oyster tastings. A series of conferences – to be held in person and online – on topics affecting Naturism worldwide will be launched in Bonn in March. And a working group will be established to examine the rules about membership of the organisation to see, among other things, how best to bring more Naturist voices within the INF’s embrace and make it more globally representative.
Edwin says that the Congress was the most harmonious and collegiate such meeting he had yet attended, with clear and encouraging signs emerging of a shared vision of how the Naturist federations should work together in future. He thinks this is at least in part due to the success of the co-presidency shared by Stéphane Deschênes and Sieglinde Ivo, following Stéphane’s election last year.
The meeting also saw Edwin elected as one of the Vice-Presidents of the INF, a role which puts him in the influential position of Secretary – working closely alongside the two Presidents and the Treasurer as part of the leadership of the organisation, helping with arrangements for congresses, setting the agenda for meetings and, crucially, interpreting the INF’s statutes.
Edwin added, “I’m really looking forward to working as a team alongside Stéphane, Sieglinde, the rest of the committee and, of course, the Naturist federations. If last week’s meeting is anything to go by, there’s a renewed willingness among the federations to work together to advance the organisation and – more importantly – worldwide Naturism. It’s a really exciting time to be involved at this level.”
Asked about the impact on his work for BN, Edwin said, “I have a fair idea of the workload involved in the INF position. And I’ve already been doing a lot of INF-related work alongside my BN work – I’m on a working group revising the statutes, for example, and I’ve been working pretty hard in the run-up to the Congress – so I think I know how to balance the demands. But one thing I won’t be able to do is occupy the BN seat at INF meetings. That could be an interesting opportunity for somebody.”
Image: Delegates at Luxembourg
For those of you who haven’t tried the French southwest coastline – you can look forward to a beach that is just under 230 kilometres long, stretching from fashionable Biarritz in the south right up to the Gironde estuary. A beach that long is never going to get crowded and provides almost unlimited opportunities to get that all over suntan in perfect seclusion. Apart from the four main Naturist resorts – Arna, La Jenny, Montalivet and Euronat – there are countless Naturist beaches, either official or generally accepted, but to be honest when you can be 100 meters from your nearest neighbour, who can tell what you are wearing or not!
Arna (officially ‘Arnaoutchot’) itself is located in the Landes department which is home to the largest manmade forest in Western Europe – the 10,000 square kilometres almost entirely consist of tall maritime pine trees and Arna certainly has its share of them. They give the whole site a wonderfully peaceful air as they sway gently in the offshore breeze. Walking amongst them on the way to the sand dunes that separate the site from the beach is a great way to start any day. The weather at Arna is generally much better than the UK, but as the site is bordered by the Atlantic and with the Pyrenees to the south, it can be changeable. Our first week saw temperatures up in the mid 30s while during our last few days it was not wildly different from back home, with blustery showers. We also had an unbelievable thunderstorm at 4am one morning with torrential rain but by midday, you would not know it had ever happened.
Arna have clearly invested since we last visited: there is a great deal of new accommodation which is a step away from the mobile home type and more closely resembles modern cabins, while at least one of the bathroom blocks has been replaced with a very smart facility. More new cabins were being delivered while we were there so the upgrade programme is definitely continuing. If you are looking for a stay that is more camping-orientated then the emplacements down near the beach are still there and were proving popular with campers and the caravan/camper van crowd.
The site’s facilities are excellent with – in high season - three restaurants serving local specialities, fish and pizza alongside open air bar seating. Diners at the restaurants tended to dress for their evening meals which seems to the common approach at most French resorts but there were always plenty of naked bodies in the early evening around the bar area. The wonderful local menu restaurant, La Gourmand Landaises, appears to have dropped their 3-course menu du jour, which is a shame as we used to like the choices and it always seemed to be good value. There is a well-stocked mini supermarket that will supply you with everything you need. We tended to use this for anything we had missed and did most of our food shopping at the Carrefour in nearby Léon which is a very easy 15-minute drive away – and, unsurprisingly, much cheaper!
On the entertainment front, in high season there is something on most evenings from local bands through to soirée dansantes alongside entertainment aimed at children. There are also several excellent children’s areas spread throughout the site – with a new children’s water park just being commissioned as we were there.
If the beach isn’t your thing, there are outdoor and indoor pools with top quality loungers, a huge pétanque area and the new Les Bassins d’Arna spa area which looks beautiful and includes a spa, a relaxation garden and four treatment rooms offering a vast range of treatments.
We left the site on 1st July just as Arna was beginning to move up a gear - with the French school holidays only a week away, families were starting to appear and the animations programme was getting into full operation with activities most evenings in July and August; if you want a quiet time then avoid those months.
The practicalities: we tend to fly into Biarritz with Ryanair from Stansted but there is no reason why you could not fly in via Bordeaux if that works for you better. Biarritz is a great little airport, and you can be outside with your luggage 30 minutes after touching down. All the car hire companies are there and provided you turn the right way onto the autoroute and don’t head for Spain as we once did, you will be at Arna an hour later. Technically you can’t check in until after 5pm but I don’t believe we have ever had an issue by arriving earlier. Apart from picking up your key, about the only other thing you might need to consider is hiring a bedlinen set if you haven’t brought your own.
Check-out had also changed since our last visit. You can avoid a cleaning charge of something slightly over €100 by leaving your accommodation clean and tidy – basically as you would expect to find it yourself on arrival. Five years ago, you had to book an inspection by the cleaning team for the morning of departure – which was always a bit of a hassle to get as late a slot as possible. Fortunately, this has all gone – you still leave your unit in a clean state, but the inspection happens after you have gone – so you can plan on packing up for 10am and still enjoy a leisurely breakfast.
Even though you are all packed up at this point, you can still use all the site’s facilities until you have to drag yourself away. This time we went up to the pool and made good use of the loungers until lunchtime before using of one of the excellent shower blocks to get the suntan oil off and force ourselves to return to Biarritz Airport.
In summary, Arna is a wonderfully professionally run and maintained resort with more pine trees than you will ever see elsewhere and a beach that seems to go on forever, giving you the chance to get back to nature and relax. You can take your clothes off as soon as you arrive and if you stay on site, you won’t need them until the day you head home.
I saw a sign on one of our neighbours’ cabins: “Ici, c'est le paradis” - they’re not wrong, you know!
arna.com
+33 (0)5 58 49 11 11
The swim will take place at 8:30pm every Sunday at the new Dover Leisure Centre, Fitness Fields, Whitfield, Dover CT16 3FZ. Members will have the full use of the facilities including the pool, sauna and steam room. The swim is open to all on production a means of identification eg British Naturism membership card, driving licence etc. The cost is £7 per person plus a £15 per annum club membership fee. Tickets can be bought on the door
Dover Swim was created in 1979 and over the years has been a host to hundreds of Naturists at the old leisure centre in Townhall Street before the new centre was built.
Rod Baker, Dover Swim spokesman, said:
‘We’re delighted to restart the swim again post Covid at this purpose built facility. Our existing members will be joined by many newcomers who applied to joined the club during lockdown - it’s great that we can finally meet them. We would encourage anyone who has ever thought about what it is like to swim without a costume to come and try it out in a safe, non-judgemental environment that Naturism creates.’
Andrew Welch, National spokesman for British Naturism, said:
‘Interest in Naturism in the UK is growing like never before, with many people better understanding the health and well-being benefits of going without clothes. Swimming naked is one of the most exhilarating, life-affirming things you can do and always better in the company of like-minded people. An increasing number of venues are realising that hiring their spaces to Naturist groups is as lucrative as hiring to anyone else - and a lot more fun!’
Contacts:
Dover Naturist Swim
Rod Baker doverswim@hotmail.com; 07772 086757
British Naturism
Andrew Welch andrew.welch@bn.org.uk; 07774 955138
Before we look at what’s coming up, a few thoughts:
First, the Wirral Naturist Club/GBSD Women Only, Clothing-Optional Skinny Dip on 29 October: Could I urge those of you in the North West to get the word out? Speaking as one of the organizers, we’d very much like this first effort to be a smashing success, and then to repeat it in the future. As the name implies, it's a great opportunity to bring friends who may be reluctant to strip straight away!
Second, you’ll have seen from recent news (Location, location, er, location) that we’re on the hunt for venues to host skinny dips and Naked Heart Walks. Suggestions are coming in but please put your thinking caps on and let us know what you can come up with.
Now— besides the aforementioned women-only swim, here’s what else is lined up for the next few weeks. Remember, we’re doing this not only for the fun of swimming au naturel and to get more and more people involved in Naturism, but also to raise money for our charity partner British Heart Foundation!
Find details of all the following at greatbritishskinnydip.co.uk/events-calendar
October 22
Spectrum Swim, Birmingham - also taking place every Saturday in October and November and beyond
October 23
East Sussex Naturists, Seaford - also taking place every Sunday in October, November and beyond
November 12
Wigton GBSD, Cumbria
November 13
Northampton Sun Group, Northampton
November 26
Swim with Oxnat! Didcot
December 10
Wigton GBSD, Cumbria
December 11
Northampton Sun Group, Northampton
Remember to keep checking the Great British Skinny Dip website. You’ll find everything you need to know about organising, promoting and joining in, including social media tools, risk assessment forms and a complete fundraising kit. Don’t forget to sign up for the GBSD newsletter, and follow us on social media.
I'm delighted that Kat Whitmire (below, right) who has been sailing with Bare Necessities since 1997 and working in sales and customer service in the office in Austin, Texas, since 2010, will be our guest on Monday and happy to share all of her knowledge of bare cruising.
Join on the night on the BN events website
The Forum Live is for BN members and members of overseas federations only. Not a member? It's easy to join...
The twist is that we can't tell you what the subject will be. Sounds intriguing? Actually, it's quite exciting as we expect some important news to be announced tomorrow or Monday which we will all want to talk about.
If that news is delayed, then we'll revert to a more usual Forum Live debate session.
Whatever happens, you know you want to be there! Join us on Monday 17 October at 7:30 using the link over on the BN events website.
EDIT: As people have probably realised, the big news we were waiting for was the publication of the Ipsos survey that revealed 6.75 million Naturists/nudists in the UK, with a bias towards enthusiasm among younger adults.
My plan is to strike while the iron is hot and use this session to summarise the findings, take questions, and discuss as a group what these outcomes mean and how we can collectively respond to them to make Naturism more accessible and appealing to all. If you are interested in this topic and any aspect of British Naturism campaigning, do please join me.
If you know of any venues that would be perfect for a Naked Heart Walk or Great British Skinny Dip in your area which we could use to raise funds and awareness of our charity partner, British Heart Foundation, then please let us know! Members can post their ideas and suggestions on the forum (log in required).
The ideal spot for a walk would be a house and gardens or somewhere unique with a good amount of outside space for a walk between 2km and 6km. For the skinny dips it's any pool, lido or beach that could be a good spot and open to us approaching them.
Thank you for your help!
We're also looking to boost the BN/BHF team - if you'd like to come to the next (Zoom) meeting without commitment and find out what we're up to and the tasks that need to be done, please let us know.
We also feature advertisements (although amongst some great content...) across the range of BN platforms but we want to encourage you to check them out. Advertising space is taken by Naturists for Naturists. Many are holiday resorts whose owners and managers had a torrid time during the pandemic with empty hotels, campgrounds and swimming pools.
Our friends will really appreciate you clicking on their adverts on this site and visiting their websites. We know they are all ready, willing and able to handle your enquiries about the holidays you may take in the future.
Thanks to all of them for the financial support they give us which helps us in the furtherance of Naturism in the UK.
If you are a potential advertiser, here are the details of how to advertise.
Photo by Tânia Mousinho on Unsplash
Keen to build on its growing success, and a desire for members to keep in touch and socialise through the cooler months, The North and West Naturist Outreach Group are hosting a Naked Dine and Disco.
Many attendees plan to make a weekend of it, with the opportunity of staying over at nearby Liverpool Sun and Air Society, who are providing food, including breakfasts throughout the weekend at very reasonable rates, and entertainment on the Friday evening.
Book your tickets here!
Become a member - or renew your membership - click here
The friendliness of everyone I've spoken to has been a major plus. I've made lifelong friends all around the country
The BN Magazine is very impressive
People are helpful if you need information
How quick my membership came was great, and I can use my membership card at a Naturist camp site as proof of ID. Brilliant!
I have really enjoyed the Zoom dances and Naked Fitness classes. I am very pleased, keep up the good work ... I'm enjoying the membership!
The general warmth and enthusiasm of members is wonderful. Also as someone who is new to Naturism and quite self conscious it is very nice to just be online occasionally with people who ‘get it’.
Everyone is so friendly and helpful. It's been brilliant. So glad I joined, after many years of worrying about "coming out" as a Naturist.
I am impressed by the commitment to advocacy and awareness of Naturism in Britain and beyond.
Even if I only get to one or two in person events a year, I intend to stay a member because I can see the huge value in the great work the Exec and many members/volunteers are doing to promote Naturism and ensure there is positive change - even around just making sure that we don't lose spaces and slots for naked swims.
It is so friendly, people from all different backgrounds together with a shared interest.
The community are very welcoming and open to conversation.
I have been so wonderfully surprised just what a friendly organisation it is ! The forums have provided an excellent platform, where I have been able to reach out and meet so many like-minded people, make new friends, and, importantly, be able to keep up with news and find information so easily!
I’m grateful for the time and effort that all the volunteers that run BN put in. Thanks to all!
Easy to join and already booked Sunfolk at a significant discount.
BN has helped me to appreciate the range of Naturist places available in the UK, and how much more it is practised here than I had thought.
Really pleased you’re active in promoting and encouraging women to explore and feel ownership in a Naturist lifestyle. Great for equality and an understanding of naturism
Online events have been excellent including the Forum Live and I have done a couple of yoga sessions which I have really enjoyed. Also I have had my first trips to a Naturist campsite this summer because I joined BN - Sunfolk and also The Naturist Foundation. Both fabulous experiences.
I knew of the existence of BN and eventually decided to join to satisfy my curiosity about the organisation. Personally I’m very glad I did and don’t in any way regret paying my membership. I had no idea of how much support there is from the legal department, or of its existence. What a wonderful use of membership fees to support sticking up for us and supporting something that many non-Naturists think is illegal!
I appreciate the opportunity to comment if I want to on the BN surveys
The genuine friendliness of so many people I've chatted with. I am totally comfortable being a member of BN. The annual subscription is worth every penny.
BN has exceeded expectations—information about events and meetings new members and making friends is brilliant
A more professional and efficient approach than I imagined it to be.
Great magazine packed with great info
I received a discount on entry to a Naturist resort in Spain because I was a BN member
Quality of live national events, fantastic. Response time from BN Head Office - very efficient
Sunfolk! Absolute gem of a place, so welcoming to me and the newbie friends I brought along
I am very satisfied being a member of BN and feel that I can learn a lot on how to promote Naturism in my own country, Denmark, and how to fulfil expectations from Danish members
BN is a friendly place to be and everyone gives great advice
The speed and efficiency of the joining process was great, and the website
Very good website, easy to navigate.
Excellent quarterly magazine
The rides attracted a great deal of media attention and much reaction from the public, both positive and negative.
We’ll hear all about it on Monday 10th October. Join the session on the night on the BN events website.
Order copies - for free! - from the BN shop.
It’s also available as an online booklet, making it dead easy to send it to anyone you like! Got someone in mind? Ok, here's the link:
https://shop.bn.org.uk/pages/guide-to-naturism
No need to book - pay on the door, but please bring ID. The cost is £7 - cash only.
Find details of the venue here and for any queries, please contact alana.mackenzie@bn.org.uk
It's a chance for members to meet and ask questions of British Naturism's Executive Committee. and is open to all British Naturism members and is expected to last an hour. Questions for the Directors and Executive Committee members on any relevant subject will be welcome. To help us manage the session and to provide the best possible answers we would welcome questions in advance, and we will take these first. Subject to time constraints we will take questions on the night as well.
Taking place the day after the BN AGM, it will also offer the chance for a continuation of any discussions curtailed owing to time pressures during the AGM and an opportunity for discussion/debrief of the main points of that meeting.
If you have a question, please send it to headoffice@bn.org.uk
Join the session here
Photo by Marius Oprea on Unsplash
Find the details including how to register over on our events website (log in required)
All members are eligible to vote on the various motions, including proposed changes to membership fees.
Find out how to do that and record your choices on the BN members' forum (log in required)
The first Naked Heart Walk was perhaps a bigger enterprise than my small team had expected, but we and Hannah from British Heart Foundation (BHF) achieved an astounding success. For 2022 we wanted something nearer home, that would allow us an afternoon event – many had travelled quite long distances last year – and would provide a way to get everyone together after the main event. Hole Park, which is one of the Seven Wonders of the Weald (along with Scotney Castle that we visited in July), fitted the bill perfectly.
I had been to Hole Park a few times over the last twenty years and I when I was there I always wished to be naked, but I wrote without any expectations. Surprisingly they were very receptive expressing the idea of inclusion no matter our beliefs. I just discovered that this is a fundamental value of the Historic Houses Association, of which Hole Park is a member and its owner the Chairman.
That many of their cafe staff are under 18’s and would require parental consent to be exposed to naked visitors was not a barrier – there just would be no staff on the day and we were left to our own devices.
I was delighted when we were given a dedicated car park and so able to leave our clothes in our cars, saving us managing a bag drop and changing area. Catering could also be provided and it seemed entirely in keeping that we had afternoon tea.
Thirty one people bought tickets and raised over £4,500. Kent BHF sent us a raffle prize, so at a couple of days notice two members of the team amassed another dozen prizes and made over £100.
Luckily the sun came out as the walk was formally started as our wet weather plan would probably have been to squeeze into the historic ice house in the woods. This is a listed 18th century building just 11 feet in diameter! Ice scraped from the ponds a few yards away would last many months if packed well.
The 2 km walk passed by sights such as a tree trunk carved with climbing bears and a towering Wellingtonia. There are many ancient trees in the grounds, to be seen on the Woodland Trusts Ancient Tree Inventory, including a tree I had not heard of – the bird cherry - which is relatively rare in southern England. It was thought to ward off the plague and the black berries were used to dye wool and the bark to colour fishing nets.
The abiding image of the day was of thirty naked people enjoying scones and cream in the picturesque Vinery and from the comments we know this was the highlight.
Last year I said never again. This year I am looking forward to finding somewhere new to do it all over again. Thanks to all who volunteered and to the BHF and Hole Park for making it possible.
It’s a handy way to be up to date with the week’s national naturist news and get info on upcoming events – all in a condensed form with easy-to-use links to articles and booking sites. Just the thing for those suffering from FOMO (that's Fear of Missing Out!)
Signing up is easy. Simply head this way and indicate your newsletter preferences. Want to see what we've been e-zine-ing about? Check out ALL past British Naturism newsletters (including today's!)
Helen says:
'The forum on Monday is women in focus. We will be speaking to women that have already contributed and we'll be encouraging others to take part in the future. We will discuss issues that women face in Naturism.'
Join the session on the night over on the BN events website
Wirral Naturist Club members have enjoyed costume-free swims since 1976 and are keen to spread the word. Knowing that women can be reluctant to strip off, the club is inviting women to a Great British Skinny Dip on Saturday, 29 October, at Brio Leisure, Northgate Arena, Chester.
What’s more - to encourage people to come and see what it’s all about, the session will be clothing-optional so swimmers can keep their swimsuit or bikini on if they prefer. Though we are sure it won’t be long before they decide to join in…)
This is a fantastic opportunity for existing women Naturists – and those who would like to experience naked swimming - to come along … and bring their friends.
Doors open at 6:00pm, with pool and sauna available from 6:15-8:00 pm. Tickets are £10 per person. Bring a friend and they’ll get in for only £5.
The event is part of The Great British Skinny Dip, a campaign by British Naturism (BN) aimed at raising funds for the BHF, and:
Promoting greater understanding of Naturism and social nudity Encouraging acceptance and participation in Naturism Improving facilities and opportunities for Naturism Promoting body confidence and well-being
Chris Morrant, Wirral Naturist Club spokesman, said:
‘Wirral Naturist Club members have been enjoying the sense of freedom, self-confidence and fun our weekly nude swims offer for nearly 50 years. We are excited about hosting this special event and hope that more women will experience that same sense of enjoyment in the safe and non-judgemental environment that Naturism provides. We look forward to welcoming you all and hope that you may become regulars!’
Andrew Welch, National spokesman for British Naturism, said:
‘Interest in Naturism in the UK is growing like never before, with many people better understanding the health and well-being benefits of going without clothes. As it happens, women report a greater life-changing experience than men, finding that their fears about being judged, feeling vulnerable or not being good enough completely fade. Swimming naked is one of the most exhilarating, life-affirming things you can do and always better in the company of like-minded people.’
Annie Blanchard, Fundraising Manager at the BHF said:
‘We are thrilled to be working in partnership with British Naturism and we will be encouraging our fundraisers all over the UK to take part in this exciting, if unusual, opportunity to raise money for our cause.
For more than 60 years, the public’s generosity has funded BHF research that has turned ideas that once seemed like 'science fiction' into treatments and cures that save lives every day. But millions of people are still waiting for the next breakthrough.
It is only with donations from the public that we can keep our research going and discover the treatments and cures of the future.’
Please reserve your place at http://www.wirralnats.org.uk/women.html
We have people willing to be interviewed and stock photos for media use.
Media attendance is possible, with advance notice please.
Contacts:
Wirral Naturist Club
Carol Gardner carol.wnc@hotmail.com
British Naturism
Andrew Welch andrew.welch@bn.org.uk; 07774 955138
British Heart Foundation
Annie Blanchard blancharda@bhf.org.uk; 07977 351 746
Useful addresses
Wirral Naturist Club - wirralnats.org.uk
British Naturism - bn.org.uk; goodtimes.bn.org.uk
The Great British Skinny Dip - greatbritishskinnydip.co.uk
British Naturism’s Women in Naturism campaign - bn.org.uk/campaigning/womeninnaturism/
British Heart Foundation - bhf.org.uk
Arrivals and departures
We were sorry to learn that Maz Wallace had decided to step down from the post of Equality and Diversity officer for personal reasons, but are pleased to announce the appointment of Meleasha Carbado as our new Equality and Diversity officer.
We were very pleased to welcome Ian Munt to his new role as national sports officer. Ian attended a Zoom meeting of the Executive Committee (EC) in May.
Values Statement
Since the last report British Naturism has adopted its Values Statement. This is available as a download from the BN website. The statement affirms that Naturism is a normal, legal and non-shameful lifestyle that promotes good health and well-being, and BN’s support for the safe practice of Naturism in families and throughout the lifetimes of individuals. It stresses the organisation’s commitment to social inclusivity, self-respect and respect for each other, diversity and equal opportunity and sustainability. It also highlights how British Naturism values the work of its volunteers, and its working relationships with others.
Safeguarding Policy
British Naturism has been working with an expert consultant to update the safeguarding policy, and the new edition was adopted by the EC at the end of July. This key policy deals with how we look after children and vulnerable adults. The new document covers broadly the same ground as the previous edition, although it has been decided to divide it into two, one covering children, the other vulnerable adults. The safeguarding policy should be given effect at all BN clubs and events. Guidelines are available from head office for those organising events.
Subscriptions
There is no hiding the fact that the question of membership subscriptions, which form the lion’s share of BN’s income, has been high among the management team’s and the Executive Committee’s concerns in the last few months. Inflation is rising and forecast to reach 13% this year, and this means increased costs for BN, like everyone else. It was not sustainable to continue the present level of activity without raising fees to at least go some way towards matching inflation, and there was little appetite among the EC for the sorts of reductions in activities that would otherwise be needed. A motion with the AGM papers, proposes increases in fees averaging 8% - which is below the expected rate of inflation.
An innovation proposed alongside the subscriptions motion is the creation of two new membership tiers. During informal discussions it became clear that some members who are in a position to do so would be content to pay more for their annual membership. We propose to invite such members to become patrons or benefactors of the organisation by contributing a little more, a gesture that will be recognised in a variety of ways. This will help us keep fee increases in the ordinary tier to a minimum and enhance BN’s ability to work to promote and protect Naturism.
Opinion Poll
BN commissioned IPSOS-MORI to conduct a survey on attitudes towards Naturism. At the time of going to press the results have just been delivered and are being analysed. Whilst it is too soon to offer a detailed report, we can say that they appear to provide some interesting and positive news for us as Naturists.
British Naturism: Sunfolk
British Naturism has a special responsibility towards Sunfolk, a site it acquired from its previous custodians at the beginning of 2020. It has been used as a venue by Naturists for more than 90 years. Whilst the site has some great spaces and facilities already in place, investment is required in other areas to create the modern facilities visitors will expect in years to come.
The good news that planning permission had been granted for the redevelopment project we propose means that we are ready to instruct builders, architects and others to commence the work. To facilitate this, Sunfolk will close early this season, at the beginning of September. We expect to see quite a transformation by the time the site reopens in Spring 2023.
This is without question the biggest single project undertaken by British Naturism and it will surprise nobody that it occupies an appreciable part of the management team’s time.
Funding the project, which carries a price tag of over half a million pounds, is of overriding concern. Much of the finance will be available from cash reserves, including a substantial part of the proceeds of the sale of the Northampton office, but we need also to raise cash from other sources.
Jon Williams, who is leading on the topic, has been keeping members up to date through BN magazine, on the members’ forum and on “Forum Live” events covering, among other things, how members can help us raise the money. A crowdfunding platform has been set up to allow those who are able to do so to donate money towards the project. Commercial loans are being investigated in case they are needed. And a system of “member loans” is being initiated, whereby members can lend the organisation between £500 and £10,000 for three or five years, at a 3% rate of interest. This should be a “win-win”, because the rate of interest is better than offered by the banks, and less than could be expected through a commercial loan. At the time of writing there has been considerable interest in this scheme, and we are consulting legal advisers as to its finer details.
A face-to-face meeting of the Executive Committee
The Executive Committee currently meets once a month via Zoom, and the management team meets every two weeks on the same platform. We plan an annual physical meeting of the EC, which this year we propose should take place in November in Birmingham.
Our Naked Fitness classes are open to all and you can pay as you go or buy a package to allow you access to more than one from a package of 10 to a whole year. It also unlocks videos of classes for you to download at a time of your choosing.
Come and enjoy group fitness, GroovX, fitsteps, yoga and mediation - most classes run more than once a week.
Our Community events are open to members of British Naturism and other Naturist federations - and are free! Choose from The Forum Live, book club, coffee morning, parents' chat and the pub quiz, which returns this Friday!
We've got plenty of exciting guests and topics for the autumn/winter season. Can't wait to bring them all to you...
