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GBSD - still active - and seeking feedback

As the days shorten, the number of skinny-dips shrinks. When you think about it, however, the fact that winter’s approaching shouldn’t affect the availability of naked swims because there are loads of potential indoor venues around the country. 
Have you enjoyed a Great British Skinny Dip this year? Did you organise one? BN members will know that in the Autumn issue of BN Magazine you’ll find a roundup of lots of the (many!) fun Naturist events we enjoyed over the past few months. We're now gathering reports for the next issue and so please if you've had a great time dipping, or hosting a dip let us know about it!
In the meantime, here's what's coming in the Great British Skinny Dip!
 
September 10
Great East Skinny Dip, Clacton on Sea
Wigton, Cumbria
 
September 11
Northampton Sun Group, Northampton
 
September 13
Shap Lido, Cumbria
 
September 17
Yaverland, Sandown, Isle of Wight
 
September 18
L’Ancresse Bay Pembroke, Guernsey
 
September 24
Mildenhall Swim and sauna, Bury St Edmunds
 
Swim with Oxnat - Didcot

September 25
North East Skinny Dip, Northumberland

 
October 1
Spectrum Swim, Birmingham (Also taking place every Saturday in October - and beyond...)

 
October 8 
Wigton, Cumbria

 
October 9
East Sussex Naturists, Seaford Also taking place every Sunday in October - and beyond...)

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.

The Forum Live - Inside the Naturist Club

Join me next Monday, 12 September as, once again, I invite representatives of a few UK Naturist clubs to come and tell us about club life and discuss the future.
We'll hear about club history, current situation, their facilities and the challenges facing them. Hopefully, we'll have a visual insight into each club by way of a slideshow or video.
Join the session here

Does Naturism help your mental health? Part Five

Here’s the fifth part of our article by BN member Sheila Maycock on Naturism and Mental Health.
Read the previous articles on this website - Part One, Part Two, Part Three and Part Four
 
Who am I?
I am a Naturist. Four simple words, but what a plethora of meaning behind this, or indeed any statement about who I am. And Naturism is just one facet of our life that contributes to our psychological self-image or sense of self.
Am I who I am because of nature or nurture, because of the genes I have been dealt or the way in which I have been brought up and subsequently lived my life? For most of us, it’s generally a fascinating mix of inherited traits and learned behaviour - whether from the family of origin, peer groups, or media or education. I guess for the majority, a Naturist lifestyle falls into the latter category of learned behaviour, having seen others enjoying the many benefits of social nudity and embracing the benefits for ourselves.
Our self-image can be quite vulnerable. When trouble hits there are multiple challenges facing people who are trying to integrate a sense of self, and Naturists are not immune from those challenges. Were you part of a dysfunctional family, abandoned, adopted? Did your parents split up acrimoniously? Were you bullied, neglected, suffered or did you observe or experience domestic violence, bereavement or loss? Did you experience physical or emotional abuse or over critical parents? The list goes on.
A large part of my work as a Family Therapist involves overcoming the challenges facing young people when trying to integrate a sense of self from within fragmented families. When parents fall out, wage war, split up – even if it is in the best interest of the whole family – it has an effect on the family system for a very long time. This transition can be complicated when the separation is bitter, when parents experience mental health difficulties, or have the financial and emotional pressure of being single parents. I don’t dispute that any of these Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) can be overcome, but research links ACEs to premature death and health disorders, including mental ill health. Such early difficulties can make it really tricky to move towards self-acceptance and garner the self-confidence to explore new ideas and approaches.
Melanie Klein (1882- 1960) wrote about ‘splitting’, which is our psychological capacity to identify and seek out what is good and to reject aspects that are trickier or more uncomfortable to deal with. An essential aspect of being mentally healthy is to integrate these aspects – the good and bad, working towards a healthy assimilation, where one can tolerate the dilemma – where we can hold in mind that sometimes one person may be distant and disinterested, and other times they can be loving and attentive. Thus one person can be both good and bad.
The outside world has a view of the Naturist community that can be rather split because of  ignorance, misinformation and an inability to integrate good and bad. What may be seen as good – a strong sense of community with like-minded people, admirable for embracing freedom and doing what is good for you and what is seen as bad – nudity and all that implies in society and culture, can be perceived as related to sexual activity, vulnerability or even abuse or perversion. The naturist community encourages an integration of these opposing views, detaching nudity from sex, enabling people to overcome pre-programmed fears and make informed choices about who they are in a safe environment of respect and mutual trust.
Much of our belief about who we are is a subconscious process, so on a day-to-day basis we tend to just act as who we are, without having to wake up each morning and think ‘What am I like?’ (That would be really tiring!). But figuring out who we really are and choosing who we prefer to be is a lifelong process. Are Naturists just people who are genetically predisposed to contemplation? Or have we had the opportunity for reflection and the development of a strong sense of self offered to us? In my experience Naturists have a healthy level of self-awareness, as a result of the thought and questioning that has gone into the decision to embrace a naturist lifestyle, finding your own sense of self and refusing to accept the version of you that may be expected by other people.
Who am I? I’m a Naturist and that is to be celebrated!
 
Sheila Maycock
MBACP
Accredited Therapist (and BN Member)
 
Image: Mark Bass

The Forum Live - ask the Executive - postponed

Once a quarter, we dedicate a Forum Live session where members meet and ask questions of British Naturism's Executive Committee. The next session will take place in a fortnight's time on Monday week, the 19 September at 7:30pm.
The event 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. 
If you have a question, please send it to headoffice@bn.org.uk
Join the session here
  
Photo by Marius Oprea on Unsplash 

The Journey to our NKD wedding 

‘If someone had told me I would be writing this article a couple years ago I would have thought they were pulling my leg. My partner Laura and I have never been traditional and like to think we are open minded, however organising a naked wedding for ourselves is a wholly unexpected experience,’ says Steven Sandilands. 
We have been trying to find the perfect time to get married for a decade now. Between health issues, lockdowns and all of life's other distractions it never seemed the right time. Neither of us have ever wanted a traditional wedding, and it took us a long time to find the environment that we would actually feel comfortable in. This started to change when we first discovered Naturism. I read
an article in The Guardian about Brighton beach and people using it without clothes on. I mentioned it in casual conversation and before either of us knew it we were planning a trip to our local nude beach - Ardeer, on the west coast of Scotland. That first visit was an amazing experience; the feel of the wind and sun on our skin stands out, and the people there were friendly and happy to converse. The word I would use to sum up the experience would be ‘fresh’. 
Having experienced it, we couldn’t wait to introduce our kids to the environment and explore all that family Naturism had to offer. Going nude around the house didn’t even warrant a comment from them, so we pushed the boat out and went to our first family Naturist swim. At an amazing family-friendly venue in Glasgow our kids and another four played together on floats in the pool having a great time, and with saunas and the like for the parents to take turns in, it was a great day for all, a truly safe environment. 
From there we only increased our involvement in family Naturism. Laura and I were regulars at the weekly BN family chat throughout the lockdowns—an amazing group of people and if you’ve not tried it, you should definitely go along. We even took a family Naturist minibreak on the island on Loch Lomond. Swimming in Loch Lomond with my family in brilliant sunshine surrounded by a gorgeous view was one of the highlights of the year, completely unforgettable. 
Once lockdowns had ended and we could enjoy bigger Naturist events and travel a bit further, we made the most of it. There is an amazing hidden gem near Dumfries called Be Natural B&B. The hosts are very friendly and provide a great escape with the kids. We’ve now been twice, for a great restful nights’ stay. 
A true highlight of our year is BN’s take-over of a hotel and water park for which we travel to England. There are hundreds of people chatting, making friends, enjoying the slides  and generally having a lot of fun. The kids were asking to go back before we even got home. BN’s family event at Liverpool Sun and Air club was the longest we have been in a Naturist environment and another friendly and fun experience. A great group of people forming a community and looking out for each other, inviting we newcomers in for a cuppa and really helping look after the children and making sure they were entertained. We got a true sense that we were genuinely welcome and made to feel at home. 
Having had all these amazing experiences, I wasn’t surprised to find out couples have renewed their vows or had joining ceremonies at BN events. One afternoon, half-joking, I asked Laura if she would want to get married at NKD, and to my surprise she said yes without hesitation. To my even greater surprise BN immediately agreed to accommodate the request, contacting the venue to ensure they were happy. I was shocked and delighted when the council registrars told me it wouldn’t be a problem for them either, and, just like that, we are now booked for a Naturist wedding. 
It did mean taking the big step of inviting all our friends to the wedding, many of whom did not know about our Naturism, nor had ever set foot in such an environment themselves. Responses were varied. Some are all for it and will be there, others couldn’t travel down from Scotland and a few said that it was not for them. One thing that did not vary was the support that everyone showed for us having the wedding in an environment that mattered to us. No judgement or uncertainty, the world kept spinning and not one negative response. While Naturism may not be for everyone, it truly does no harm to anyone and most people understand that. 
One question we do get asked is, ‘Why have a Naturist wedding?’. The answer is that our experiences of Naturism have been fresh, safe, restful, fun, welcoming and unforgettable. What better way to start the next chapter of our lives! The community makes the event and we can’t think of a more accepting, welcoming and family friendly event than a BN event. 
This article appears in the latest edition of BN233 our Autumn magazine. As you can see from the image - plans came together and the wedding took place! 
 

BN233 - Autumn 2022

The Autumn issue of our members' magazine is now out!
It’s full of news, information, listings and fully illustrated features and articles. 
 
Contents include: 
All the events you can look forward to  Skinny-dips, Nudefest and a heatwave mean BN is in the media spotlight again! Bursting with Activity: All the fun stuff BN members have been up to recently Naturism and Mental Health, Part 5: Who Am I? British Heart Foundation – a Naked Heart Walk in Cheshire and more Laura and Steven’s journey to their NKD wedding Happy anniversary to Sungrove Club and TANDO! In travel, we bring you more tantalising holidays to consider in Spain, The Netherlands and France BN233 will soon be landing on the doormats of members of British Naturism who can also access a downloadable digital copy now. There's even a topic open for you to discuss it with other members.
Our quarterly magazine is just one of the many benefits a BN membership provides. If you’re not a member yet, why not make today the day you join us? 

Events this weekend - and beyond!

It’s inevitable that the number of events will wane as the summer does the same and so this is the last weekly update of what’s coming that we’ll give you. Don’t worry - we’ll still bring you news of gatherings big and small… and don’t forget that the information on events (big and small, national and local, regular or one-off) can always be found via these links:
 
Events run by British Naturism - events.bn.org.uk
All other events (you can add your own!) - bn.org.uk/calendar
Online events - shop.bn.org.uk/pages/online-home
The Great British Skinny Dip - greatbritishskinnydip.co.uk

…and there are Naturist swims happening everywhere all the time - check out the calendar
 
By the way, you don’t have to wait for an event to be organised. Got an idea for a fab Naturist event? Know of a super venue? Tell us about it - there are plenty of resources available at British Naturism to help get events off the ground.
Here’s what you need to know…
Tickets are still available for the unique, naked Retro Gaming Night in Cambridge next week, 9 September.
Also, next week, on 6 September, following the successful Naked Heart Walk for British Heart Foundation in July, there’s a repeat visit to Cheshire’s beautiful Adlington Hall (pictured)
Wigton pool run their own Naturist event on the second Saturday of each month. The next one is on 10 September. It’s really important that we support venues who are putting on nude events - it’s what we’ve been working towards for years!
Check out this week’s blog for all the Great British Skinny Dips happening in September - plenty of beaches, plenty of (usually) non-Naturist venues. Let’s get out there and enjoy them!
 
Image: BN/Andrew Parker
 

A BIG weekend at British Naturism: Sunfolk - and an extended season!

Come and enjoy a celebratory weekend at British Naturism: Sunfolk!
On Saturday, 3 Sept, we're marking 90 years of Naturism at the Sunfolk site. Among other activities, we'll have a BBQ (including vegan variety) cake, tea, coffee and fizz!
On Sunday, we'll be hosting a Great British Skinny Dip at 1pm - but come for the day and make a donation to British Heart Foundation during your visit.
We're also pleased to announce that we're extending the season at British Naturism: Sunfolk. We'll now remain open until 25 Sept and better still is that all camping and day visit prices will be halved!
We look forward to seeing you!

September: A Harvest Festival of Skinny-Dips!

I went swimming recently – sadly, not naked – at a local water park. The weather was cloudy but warm, the silky water a fabulous 20 degrees. No wetsuit needed! But as lovely as the swim was, it would have been even nicer au naturel. It’s strange, really. It’s not as if we have to wear the bulky woollen bathing suits of our ancestors. But even a modern swimsuit weighing next to nothing feels constraining in some way.
All of which is to say: the Great British Skinny Dip continues, and we should take advantage of the opportunities offered to shed our cossies!
This month there are 15 events to choose from as I write this, including some fabulous events at the beach - and you never know, more could be added - so stay tuned.
Let’s remind ourselves briefly why we do this.
First, it feels great!
Second, the more skinny dips there are, and the more friends, family and colleagues we introduce to them, the more we get the word out about the joys and benefits of the Naturist lifestyle.
Third, we want to raise as much money as we can for our charity partner the British Heart Foundation. If you can’t make it to a dip but would like to donate to the BHF – which, after all, is working hard to keep us all heart-healthy – please head over to BN’s JustGiving page.
With all that in mind, here’s what’s happening this month:
 
September 3
Spectrum Swim, Birmingham. There are also swims on the 10th, 17th and 24th September.
Arundel Lido, Arundel.
 
September 4
British Naturism: Sunfolk, St Albans.
Portstewart Strand, Portstewart, Northern Ireland. (Last year's great event is our picture)
 
September 10
Great East Skinny Dip, Clacton on Sea
Wigton, Cumbria
 
September 11
Northampton Sun Group, Northampton
 
September 13
Shap Lido, Cumbria
 
September 17
Yaverland, Sandown, Isle of Wight
 
September 18
L’Ancresse Bay Pembroke, Guernsey
 
September 24
Mildenhall Swim and sauna, Bury St Edmunds
Swim with Oxnat - Didcot
 
Remember to keep checking the Great British Skinny Dip website - click here to find a list of what dips are coming up soon
You’ll find everything you need to know about organising, promoting and joining in Great British Skinny Dips on the website https://www.greatbritishskinnydip.co.uk/the-great-british-skinny-dip, 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.

The Forum Live - interviewing Jane Mulkerrins

...and we're back! After a well-earned summer break, British Naturism's online interview/chat session, The Forum Live returns next Monday 5 September at 19:30.
I'm delighted to announce that our first guest of the season will be Jane Mulkerrins. Jane is Associate Editor at The Times Magazine, where she commissions, edits and writes features and interviews. She also regularly contributes to Times Radio. She spent a decade in New York 2010-2021, reporting from across the US and North America for UK outlets including The Times, The Guardian, The Telegraph and The FT. She is a keen traveller, cyclist and outdoor swimmer. 
We have been working with Jane on a feature in which she takes in a number of Naturist experiences over the long, hot summer we have enjoyed. It is scheduled to be published this Saturday, September 3 in The Times Magazine. We can't wait to read it!
Join the session on the night in the online events section of the BN shop
It's for members of British Naturism and other Naturist federations only - if you are not a member, it's easy to join here and join the over 800 other new members we've welcomed this year!
 

Naked Retro Gaming night!

Join us at the Centre for computing history in Cambridge for an evening of naked retro gaming.  We will have access to all of the hands-on gaming consoles and computers the museum has on display.
Exclusive access to the three public areas of the museum - The Foyer, 80s Classroom and Main Gallery including the Game Zone. 'Party style' music and lighting will be provided in the Main Gallery.  Unique BIG SCREEN gaming features not normally available during a normal museum visit. A projected BIG SCREEN Mario Kart set-up in the 80s Classroom!   Click here for more details and booking information

BHF Naked Heart Walk at the Secret Nuclear Bunker

Do you remember that the long summer heat wave was followed by two days of thunderstorms and floods? Well, that was, by unlucky coincidence, when British Naturism (BN) in partnership with the British Heart Foundation (BHF), had arranged the Naked Heart Walk in Essex.
However, it seems the nature of the good cause, raising money for BHF, made all the difference as the clouds parted and the sun came out for a dry warm evening on 18 August at the Secret Nuclear Bunker. 33 people took part, some having travelled many miles to get there, with a good balance of male and female. It was a gentle stroll rather than a head-down march, passing several curious structures for the indulgence of the BN official photographer.  We all won a BHF medal for participation followed by entering the cavern itself for a worrying presentation on the rudimentary 1970s equipment used to detect radioactive fallout. Many stayed for an evening meal in the canteen used by the senior government officials of the day.
Organisers , Nigel and Janina Newman, said “This worthwhile event gave us another opportunity to talk about Naturism with our friends. Both our fathers died of heart attacks and we got sponsorship from Nigel’s badminton club and many others”.
 
Photo by Colin Brundle

Introducing our New Equality and Diversity Officer

British Naturism is very proud to announce the appointment of Meleasha as our new Equality and Diversity Officer.  As a minority group ourselves, Naturists are well aware of the challenges that minorities face and that we must all strive to achieve equal treatment for all.
The historical discrimination suffered by members of the LGBTQ+ community and People of Colour far exceeds anything that Naturists have endured and we know that, sadly, that discrimination still exists if you scratch the surface.  The guiding principle of Naturism is one of respect, meaning that we have a responsibility to ensure that discrimination does not exist in our own ranks and to stand with other minority groups if they face pressure from other parts of society.
Mel takes up the role with academic and professional experience of both Naturism and Equality and Diversity, and as a person of colour and bisexual woman herself, knows well the hatred that still exists in sectors of society.  As a long-time Naturist, this is a role that Mel has been preparing for a long time.  Mel is also one of British Naturism’s very visible ambassadors, and is already issuing a call to action:
“As a woman of mixed English, Jamaican and Cuban heritage and proud member of the LGBTQ+ community, fighting for equality and diversity in all spaces is really important to me. Naturism, all its benefits and the beautiful community we have built is something I shout about to anyone who will listen, so this role seemed like the perfect way to bring my passions together. Whilst I belong to several minority groups I am conscious that I could not possibly represent everyone and there is much to learn about the groups I don’t belong to in particular.  Therefore, I encourage anyone interested in Equality and Diversity to get involved and let us know how we can make Naturism even more inclusive so that it can be enjoyed by everyone.  Feel free to get in touch or chat to me at an event!”
British Naturism is committed to improving the quality of people’s lives across society, and over the next couple of years, Mel will be a key part of that.
 

Events this weekend - and beyond!

The British Naturism news and ezine team is taking a summer break next week and so here’s an overview of the bigger events into the beginning of September.
 
Don’t forget that you can find information on all events in the following places:
 
Events run by British Naturism - events.bn.org.uk
All other events (you can add your own!) - bn.org.uk/calendar
Online events - shop.bn.org.uk/pages/online-home
The Great British Skinny Dip - greatbritishskinnydip.co.uk
 
The Great British Skinny Dip
Still plenty of dips to enjoy - with new ones being added - check them out
 
Naked Heart Walks - with British Heart Foundation
Hole Park, Kent
Sat 27th Aug, 14:00
 
Garden visits
Howick Hall Garden, Northumberland
Sat 13th August, 19:00-21:00
High Beeches, West Sussex
Wed 31st August, 14:00-17:30
Adlington Hall, Cheshire
Tues 6th Sept, 14:00-18:00
 
Naked Walks
Stark Trekkers: Pevensey, East Sussex
Thur 18th August, 11:30 - 16:00
Great Missenden, Bucks
Fri 19th August, 12:30 - 17:00
Natram: Arun Gap, Arundel
Thur 25th August, 11:15 - 18:30
Natram : Red Shoot, New Forest Hampshire
Thur 1st Sept, 11:45 - 18:30
Natram : Un-Firled, Alfriston, East Sussex
Thur 8th Sept, 11:30 - 18:30
Natram: Walk Up Barley, West Sussex
Thur 15th Sept, 11:30 - 1830
 
Other events
NKD Festival
25th to 29th August   
A weekend of Diversity and Inclusivity at Liverpool Sun and Air
26th to 29th August
Waterpark
Splashdown
27th August  20:00 - 22:00
Beach Day
Studland Beach Day
Sun 28th August, 10:45 - 15:30
Dine Naked Bristol: Games Night
28th August 18:30
Naked Retro Gaming in Cambridge
Fri 9th Sept, 19:00 - 23:00

Chalfont Holidays - now recruiting!

Chalfont Holidays, the UK’s premier Naturist tour operator - and proud sponsors of British Naturism - who you read about earlier this week are now recruiting.
If you’d like to be part of their home-based reservations team booking tailor-made holidays for the British Naturism community, we’d like to hear from you!
We would love it if you have previous travel industry experience, but don’t worry if not, training will be given to the successful candidates.
Please send your CV and covering note outlining your experience to hr@chalfontholidays.co.uk
chalfontholidays.co.uk
 

 
Photo by Jason Leung on Unsplash

Naked Heart Walk, Kent - next week!

Thanks to everyone who has already signed up for the forthcoming Naked Heart Walk at Hole Park, Kent on 27th August.
Enjoy a 3 km sponsored walk around the 16-acre garden and woodland trail and afterwards enjoy a full afternoon tea - included in the ticket price!
It's not too late to book your place to not only have a great, nude day out, but to raise valuable funds for our charity partner British Heart Foundation.
There's an entry fee aimed at covering the costs of putting on the events with an encouragement (not a commitment) for each walker to raise or donate up to £100 - though if you raise more, we won't complain!

Random thoughts about the Great British Skinny Dip

First: I miss last week’s sun and heat!
Second: Grey skies and cooler breezes shouldn’t put us off skinny-dipping. It’s not too late to organise events, and more are being added all the time. Nor is too late to jump – au naturel - into some body of water. If ya can’t swim outdoors, swim indoors! Interestingly, more venues have begun running their own events, a very good sign that interest in naked swimming is growing.
And the third random thought is this: If you’re thinking you’d love to donate to the British Heart Foundation but can’t make it to a GBSD event, no worries. Just head on over to BN’s JustGiving page and donate to your heart’s content.
 
So…here’s the agenda for the next couple of weeks.
Spectrum Swims, Birmingham, on August 20, August 27 and September 3
Peterborough Lido, Cambridgeshire, on August 27
NOTE: The August 28 Aldeburgh and Thorpeness Swim, Aldeburgh, has been postponed. Stay tuned for a future date.
And then here comes September, bringing with it a repeat swim at Arundel Lido on September 3
and the second annual beach day at Portstewart Strand, Northern Ireland on September 4.
 
Remember, there are over 100 dips are listed on the Great British Skinny Dip website - click here to find a list of what other dips are coming up next
You’ll find everything you need to know about organising, promoting and taking part in Great British Skinny Dips on the website, 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.

New owner for Chalfont Holidays

Chalfont Holidays, the UK’s premier Naturist tour operator - and proud sponsors of British Naturism -  has new owners.
With over 30 years’ experience within the travel industry, Chris Thelen has recently taken the helm at Chalfont. With an enviable reputation for bringing innovation and value to travel companies, it’s an exciting time as Chalfont Holidays looks at offering new resorts and holiday destinations to the Naturist community.
Chris told British Naturism, ‘We’ve got bags of experience over many years in corporate travel and can count some of the world’s best names among our clients. I’ve visited many clothing-optional beaches over the years, and I am excited by the prospect of adding this new, fast-growing market to our portfolio. We’re looking forward to working with British Naturism and its members and providing the Naturist community with fantastic holidays for years to come. We also want to work with you to help make sure the Naturist market keeps on growing and moving to the mainstream”.
BN looks forward to bringing you more news from Chalfont Holidays in the coming months. In the meantime, look out for new group holidays this Autumn and into 2023.
chalfontholidays.co.uk

Events this weekend - and beyond!

Here’s this week’s digest of forthcoming events. Whilst we, our plants and our wildlife could do with some rain, it’s certainly the kind of weather when clothes can become a distant memory… so make the most of it.
 
Don’t forget that you can find information on all of our events in the following places:
Events run by British Naturism - events.bn.org.uk
All other events (you can add your own!) - bn.org.uk/calendar
Online events - shop.bn.org.uk/pages/online-home
The Great British Skinny Dip - greatbritishskinnydip.co.uk
 
The Great British Skinny Dip
Still plenty of dips to enjoy - with new ones being added -
 
Naked Heart Walks - with British Heart Foundation
Secret Nuclear Bunker, Essex - 18th Aug
Hole Park, Kent - 27th Aug
 
Garden visits
Howick Hall Garden, Northumberland
Sat 13th August, 19:00-21:00
 
High Beeches
Wed 31st August,  14:00-17:30
 
Naked Walks
Stark Trekkers : Pevensey, East Sussex
Thur 18th August  11:30 - 16:00
 
Great Missenden, Bucks
Frid 19th August 12:30 - 17:00
 
Arun Gap
Thur 25th August 11:15 - 18:30
 
Festivals & Camping
Windermere weekend
12th to 14th August
 
Garden of Wellness Weekend
19th to 21st August
 
NKD Festival
25th to 29th August   
 
A weekend of Diversity and Inclusivity at Liverpool Sun and Air
26th to 29th August
 
 

Skinny-Dipping in the News Yet Again!

As an outdoor swimmer, I appreciated the article in this month’s Outdoor Swimmer magazine titled, “Nude in Bude.” It talked about the author’s trip to the South West Skinny Dip at Summerleaze beach and was extremely positive about the fun and benefits of cossie-free swimming. While this event raises money for a charity other than the British Heart Foundation, the article pointed readers to BN’s Great British Skinny Dip website. I enjoyed the piece so much – including for the fact that its accompanying photo showed a bunch of joyful-looking nudies (male and female) without their bits and bobs blacked out – that I wrote to thank the editor. Well done, Outdoor Swimmer!
So…speaking of the GBSD, let’s see what’s on the agenda for the next few days.
August 13 brings 5 swims, with a new one (the second!) added at Kerensa Cottage.
St Anne’s Beach Day, Lytham St Anne’s
Corton Beach Day, Lowestoft
Wigton, Cumbria
Spectrum Swim, Birmingham
Kerensa Cottage, Somerset
On August 18, Race Hub, Leicestershire is back:
The Spectrum Swim, Birmingham, happens on August 20 and August 27 
That day there’s also another dip at Peterborough Lido
And – on August 28 why not hit the beach at the new Aldeburgh and Thorpeness Swim, Suffolk?
 
And that takes us to September, about which more in upcoming blogs.
But just because autumn is approaching – not too fast, please! – that doesn’t mean we should forget about why we’re skinny-dipping and how important it is to keep scheduling swims and making a lot of noise about them. We’re getting the word out about all the benefits of Naturism for the body, soul and mind, and hoping to persuade friends, colleagues and family to give it a try. We’re helping to normalise the clothes-free lifestyle. And, just as importantly, we want to raise as much money as possible for our charity partner, the British Heart Foundation, which is working hard to keep us heart-healthy.
You’ll find everything you need to know about organising, promoting and taking part in Great British Skinny Dips on the website, including social media tools, risk assessment forms, a complete fundraising kit, and a sign up for the GBSD newsletter. Don't forget to follow us on social media too!
Photo - thanks to George Booth - our GBSD event at Beacon Tarn on Tuesday.

Naked Heart Walks - coming soon - a reminder!

Thanks to everyone who has already signed up for the forthcoming Naked Heart Walks at the Secret Nuclear Bunker, Essex (pictured), next Thursday 18th August, and Hole Park, Kent on 27th August.
It's not too late to book your place to not only have a great, nude day out, but to raise valuable funds for our charity partner British Heart Foundation.
There's an entry fee aimed at covering the costs of putting on the events with an encouragement (not a commitment) for each walker to raise or donate up to £100 - though if you raise more, we won't complain!

Last chance for Windermere...

There's another hot weekend on the way, and if you are looking for a cool, back to nature way to spend it, look no further than our annual weekend on the banks of Lake Windermere in the Lake District.
It's a two-night, laid-back camping break with meditation, walks, skinny-dipping and live music. 
Fine out all the details and book your place now!

Events this weekend - and beyond!

Here’s our usual reminder of what’s happening very soon…
 
The Great British Skinny Dip
Loads happening - check out our dedicated news item
 
Garden visit
Gibberd Garden, Essex
Sat 6th August, 11:00
 
World Naked Bike Ride
Romford, Essex
6th August 11:45
 
Walk
Bury St Edmunds
Sun 7 Aug 2022 10:00
 
Beach Day
Studland Beach Day
Sunday 7th  10:30
 
Festivals & Camping
Windermere weekend
12th - 14th August
 
Garden visit
Howick Hall Garden, Northumberland
Sat 13th August, 19:00-21:00
 
Naked Heart Walks - for British Heart Foundation
Secret Nuclear Bunker, Essex - 18th Aug
Hole Park, Kent - 27th Aug
 
Just announced…
Boat trip
Norbury, Shropshire
Tuesday 6th September 19:00-22:00
 
Swims - plenty to consider, see bn.org.uk/calendar
 
And keep an eye on all the other gatherings…
Events run by British Naturism - events.bn.org.uk
All other events (you can add your own!) - bn.org.uk/calendar
Online events - shop.bn.org.uk/pages/online-home
The Great British Skinny Dip - greatbritishskinnydip.co.uk

Getting the Word out on Skinny-Dipping!

As many of you will have read recently, there have been 100 Great British Skinny Dips listed in 29 separate venues so far this year. That’s a huge milestone, and it shows BN outreach is working. Let’s keep that momentum going!
I myself took advantage of the great weather this past weekend to visit the beach at Budleigh Salterton. No dipping took place (by me, at any rate, still recuperating from eye surgery), but I got the chance to see some amazing Devon cliffs and an unusual pebble beach.
Anyway, back to the GBSD and some fab upcoming swims!
Already noted on the BN website are two open-air skinny dips this week, one tomorrow at Race Hub, Leicestershire (pictured) that’s just for women, and another on 7 August at Arundel Lido.
Also on August 9 there’s Beacon Tarn Naked Walk & Skinny Dip, Ulverston and Shap Lido, Penrith - close together and so you could do both!
August 13 brings a flurry of swims, with two beach days and three pool swims:
St Anne’s Beach Day, Lytham St Anne’s
Corton Beach Day, Lowestoft
Kerensa Cottage, Somerset
Wigton, Cumbria
and Spectrum Swim, Birmingham
And on August 18, there’s another Race Hub dip (their 4th one this year!)
 
Now get out there! Let’s see if we can increase those 100 swims to 200!
You’ll find everything you need to know about organising, promoting and taking part in Great British Skinny Dips on the website https://www.greatbritishskinnydip.co.uk/the-great-british-skinny-dip, including social media tools, risk assessment forms and – importantly – a complete fundraising kit to help bring in much-needed funding for our charity partner, the British Heart Foundation. Don’t forget to sign up for the GBSD newsletter, and follow us on social media.

The BN Shop - showing your support for Naturism, even when you aren't naked!

It has been great to see healthy levels of interest from BN members and other Naturists in our range of merchandise, offered for sale on our shop website where you will find branded clothing, towels, mugs, flasks and sports bottles, tea towels and even doormats. There's even a gift card option for you to treat the Naturist in your life.
As we expected, our new range of print-on-demand towels have proved very popular, and it has been great to see your pictures of them gracing different beaches around the UK and around the world.
The BN Shop has also been ‘on the road’ over the summer, especially at Nudefest. Given the great weather, our baseball caps sold out quickly. We also had great interest in our embroidered towels which are back in the range after a couple of years.
We’ve been working hard with our suppliers to maintain the prices at which we offer our merchandise and have managed this so far, despite costs increasing in many other areas. We’ve built up a good relationship with our suppliers over the last couple of years, who tell us that the idea of T-shirts for Naturists continue to bring a smile to the faces of their team members.
But this suggests an important point about the merchandise that we offer. It’s another option for members and other Naturists to let other people know about their support for BN and for Naturism in a subtle and light-hearted way, hopefully making a small contribution to normalising Naturism.
...and don't forget, BN members get a 15% discount on all items!
shop.bn.org.uk

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