On Monday 22nd and 29th we are trialling a new online naked fitness class - Ballet at 1pm.
It's a high strength, low impact session with Sarah, a professional ballet teacher and can be adapted to most abilities.
All you need is either a chair or table to cling on to and a tutu (Ok, I lie - the tutu is optional!)
So, assume the first position, get to the pointe and chaseé over to our booking site to reserve your place...
Got a friend who wants to know more about BN?
Want to show people in your club or who you meet on holiday why they should be joining us?
Need a brochure to give to your local swimming pool to convince them to organise a skinny dip?
Want to find out more about British Naturism’s activities?
Here’s the answer - BN’s updated Guide to 2021, a full colour, fully illustrated promotional publication that has it all - including our events, our campaigns, our successes and bags of useful information for anyone that needs it. It’s our main publicity item - use it as you would a flyer. We want everyone to use it to help us to open doors, recruit new members, change attitudes, educate, inform, inspire...
You can view it online at the BN shop in a easy-to-read brochure format. Find it in the 'bookstore' tab. Copy the link and send it to everyone you know!
When circumstances with events are more certain we'll be sending it to the printer too - and you will be able to order copies (they will be free) to distribute - or pick them up at events.
In an change to the usual programme, we're celebrating St Patrick's Day this coming Friday night (19th March) with a series of events including a naked dining experience, a fun quiz followed by an Irish sing-a-long, and a Naked Disco.
We will be joined by members of the Irish Naturist Association plus many friends from all over the globe.
7.00-7.10pm Arrival and Pre Dinner Drinks
7.10-7.35pm Breakout rooms for Starters and Scavenger Hunt
7.35-7.45pm Back to Main Room to find out who's found the most
7.45-8.15pm Breakout rooms for Main Course and Irish Questionnaire
8.15-8.25pm Back to Mainroom for Answers
8.25-8.45pm Breakout Rooms for Pudding and Poetry
8.45-8.55pm Back to Mainroom for Recitations
9pm Toast the to the Saint - (have your favourite tipple to hand)
9-late BN's very own DJ Mark spins the discs as we all get down to our favourite "Jigs"
Here's is the suggested menu but you can cook what you like!
Starters
Soda Farls
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/soda-farls
or
Green Chowder Prawns
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/green-chowder-prawns
Main Course
Irish Stew
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/irish-stew
or
Champ with Sausages (real meat or vegetarian)
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/champ
Desserts
Guiness Chocolate Puddings
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/guinness-chocolate-puddings
To Finish
Irish Coffee
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/irish-coffee
The Spring issue of our members magazine is now out! It’s full of news, information, listings and fully-illustrated features and articles.
Contents include:
British Naturism role in the Hate Crime review
Missing our clubs in lockdown
Aneta telling her friends about Naturism
British Heart Foundation and the Great British Skinny Dip
My Naturist Family Life, by Adrian
Events to look forward to - and reports on some that have been happening - especially online.
Volunteering with BN
In travel, we cover Fuerteventura, Spain, France and the world’s biggest resort in Argentina, as well as round up of some of the best British beaches to enjoy this summer.
BN227 will soon be landing on the doormats of those who opt to receive it by post. Members of British Naturism can download the digital version now! You can also find an index of articles and features from previous issues.
Our quarterly magazine is just one of the many benefits a BN membership provides, so if you’re not a member yet, why not make today the day you join us?
Check out all the amazing things British Naturism are doing! goodtimes.bn.org.uk
...and it's bigger and better!
In next Monday's (15th March) The Forum Live session, we'll be treated to an update on the nationwide Dynamic Dunescape project, which we were first introduced to last November. We'll be joined once again by Julia Galbenu from the National Trust at Studland Bay and will also welcome Eve Mulholland from the Cumbria Wildlife Trust.
Studland Bay is arguably, Britain's best Naturist beach. The bay in Dorset - with other non-Naturist sections is owned by the National Trust. Nude bathing has a long history there. British Naturism is even represented on the official, National Trust operated, beach users group. Tucked away in western Cumbria on Haverigg Hawes lies ‘Lakeland Outdoor Club’ Naturist club. With a back drop of the Lakeland fells and 50 yards from the beach, it's a hidden gem.
Both Julia and Eve will be making presentations and, as usual, there will be time for questions. We'll also be talking about how we can get involved, and perhaps even make plans for event(s).
Julia Galbenu has always been fascinated by the natural world. After completing her degree in Biological Sciences at Oxford University, Julia committed herself to environmental education and engagement. Her passion took her around the world, working in India, Honduras, Panama and Ecuador on different environmental projects. Last year, England called her back and she was determined to have a positive impact on nature at home. In March 2020, she began working as the Engagement Officer for the Dynamic Dunescapes Project at Studland Bay.
Eve Mulholland is the Engagement Officer for Dynamic Dunescapes in Cumbria, working for Cumbria Wildlife Trust. She has several years’ experience working with people in the outdoors and has a background in ecology. Covering 11 Dynamic Dunescapes sites, Eve is passionate about our coastal landscapes, the incredible wildlife that lives there and creating experiences in nature for people to enjoy. Cumbria’s coastline boasts thousands of acres of beautiful sand dune systems. They are a fantastic place to explore, home to one of the largest populations of natterjack toads, rare and delicate orchids and the nationally scare northern dune tiger beetle.
dynamicdunescapes.co.uk
Book your place as soon as you can!
Regular readers will know that once a quarter, we hold a Forum Live event for members to meet and ask questions of British Naturism's Executive Committee. The next session will take place in two weeks time, on the 22nd March 2021 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
Book your place now...
British Naturism’s Women in Naturism Campaign has seen a boost in the first few months of 2021. Our high profile, and especially that on social media of Women in Naturism Co-ordinator, Donna Price, led to an approach by a Women’s Institute group in Norfolk and in January we made a virtual presentation to them over Zoom. The ladies at the WI went all out to promote it, especially on Facebook and were rewarded with their largest audience of 42 guests, many from other local WIs.
The presentation, covering many aspects of Naturism was given by Donna and Families officer, Shân Allen. We have handled some interesting questions and the women we have spoken to find it a fascinating and exciting topic for discussion. It is really great to be able to deliver such a positive message about Naturism to a large group of interested women en masse.
We’ve since made contact with all 53 WI Federations in England - and have had positive responses! Many have included our details on their websites or added us to the speaker lists in their Yearbooks.
Even better, we now have two further presentations scheduled and not just for local WI groups, but entire Federations, including all the groups in that region. First up is Somerset next week (121 WI Groups, 3500 members) followed Norfolk in May (150 WI Groups, 5000 members).
We expect to do more…watch this space!
Ever thought about hosting a Naturist event? Want to get together with others in your area and plan something? Know a local restaurant or garden that would be great for naked dining? Keen to talk to your local pool about a Great British Skinny Dip event? Thinking of having a gathering to raise funds for British Heart Foundation?
Come and take the opportunity next Monday 8 March when Mark Walsh will host the once-a-month The Forum Live Debate and encourage you to hear from and chat to others about how to go about it. Naturism is something that you 'do' and in the company of others and so the more opportunities there are around the country, the better for all of us. Over the last few years we've seen a wide variety of interesting venues, indoor and outdoor, open their doors for nude recreation and events. Let's make more of them...
Reserve your place now
British Naturism's online event programme celebrates its first birthday this month! It was an instant hit when we launched it in March 2020, in response to the global lockdown. A variety of popular sessions have been run ever since, gaining us praise, many new members (including from overseas), and great publicity including national TV and newspapers.
BN online events are here to stay. We've added even more new events, developed new booking sites and are now offering more than 100 sessions a month! You can also expect that number to grow ... make sure that you subscribe to our newsletter for updates.
The majority of the 'Community' sessions are free to members of British Naturism and other Naturist federations. For our highly successful 'Naked Fitness' sessions - yoga, fitness and meditation - the 2021 pricing structure allows you to choose between Pay-As-You-Go, or buying blocks of 10 sessions at a discount, or a weekly, monthly or annual plan that gives unlimited access. It's different, and competitive when compared to other online event offerings out there - AND they insist on you getting dressed!.
Find out all about it and get booking your places!
Not a member? It's time you joined!
We are very pleased to announce the co-option of Gary and Noreen Kennedy to the vacant role of Non-Executive Director/Director Without Portfolio.
The co-option of Gary and Noreen is one of the benefits of the changes in the working practices of British Naturism. The move toward virtual meetings means that highly skilled individuals who were too geographically remote to attend regular in-person meetings can now contribute and we are likely to see a better spread of officeholders. Gary and Noreen’s location in Northern Ireland is particularly desirable as there are inevitably events shared between Northern and the Republic of Ireland so the sharing of ideas and skills with the Irish Naturist Association (INA) is likely to improve even further.
The second significant deviation from historical methods is that Gary and Noreen will be sharing the single role. Although Gary’s name will be listed with Companies House for legal purposes, they are taking on the role as a team. We believe that time constraints are one of the major factors that discourage members from volunteering for leadership roles, so finding new ways to remove such obstacles will allow more people to be involved.
As the role title indicates, Gary and Noreen will not be joining the Directors with a specific remit, but instead will be contributing to a range of activities as need and their interests direct. The breadth of their previous experience makes them ideally suited to such a role and I’m sure you will all join me is wishing them success.
Gary and Noreen say:
We became involved with a small BN group in Northern Ireland in 2017 and have enjoyed finding out more about the activities available to naturists in NI and beyond.
We volunteered to help in the SANER region and to progress the naturist lifestyle in NI. We have started a monthly Naked Yoga class and have identified a local opportunity for naturist camping in Co. Down, which is really exciting and hope to help make this a permanent facility. We have been running a Virtual Quiz Night for Naturists across the UK each Friday night since the beginning of the pandemic and are working with BHF in Northern Ireland and National Trust to organise an event for the Great British Skinny Dip it Portstewart.
We’ve been naked Hiking in the Highlands of Scotland, spent holidays in Vera Playa and Acorns Naturist Retreat and are looking forward to many more visits. We also won a holiday to Fuerteventura and hope to attend our first Nudefest Alton Towers this year - lets hope it can go ahead! We’ve been married for nearly 30 years and have two adult sons.
As Directors, we hope to add a different perspective to the issues faced by the members of BN and the organisation itself in the next few years. The acquisition of BN Sunfolk and the rise of online events makes it an exciting time to be involved with BN and we look forward to progressing the reach of naturism however we can.
One aspiration we have is to try and establish an recognised Naturist Beach somewhere here in Northern Ireland, the only region of the British Isles not to have one!
Mark Walsh and Jon Williams will be hosting our next Forum Live session on Monday 1st March to provide an update on our plans for the British Naturism: Sunfolk venue over this summer - and beyond!
Following the recent UK government announcements on the easing of COVID restrictions, we are able to plan for this summer with more confidence, so Mark will be sharing details of when the site will be open for day and overnight visits, an update on pricing and talking about some of the work that has been going on over the winter to get Sunfolk ready to welcome its first guests of 2021
We have also been working on some exciting plans for the future development of Sunfolk, which we hope to be able to deliver in time for the 2022 season. Jon will give an update on these plans and will talk about opportunities for members who want to get more involved in the maintenance, operation and development of the site
Mark and Jon will also be happy to answer any questions about Sunfolk - please send your questions through to sunfolk@bn.org.uk
Reserve your place here
We're delighted to bring you the news that Hannah Miller from BN's charity of the year, British Heart Foundation (BHF) will be our guest next Monday, 22nd February.
Hannah is a Fundraising Manager with the charity and has worked in the charity sector for nearly 10 years, having previously held roles at the Alzheimer’s Society and the RSPCA.
At BHF, Hannah works with individuals, organisations, and companies to help them achieve their charitable ambitions. She loves to meet volunteers and supporters and hear their inspiring stories and reasons for supporting the BHF’s lifesaving research.
Away from work, Hannah is also passionate about fitness and health. She has a BSc in Sports Therapy and is a ride leader with the British Cycling Breeze programme, and a Parkrun volunteer.
Hannah did her first skinny dip in 2019 in Scotland after being introduced to the idea and found it exhilarating and free(z)ing but went and did it straight away again! She is now looking forward to attending her first British Naturism event.
During our evening’s presentation, Hannah will be talking about the BHF’s pioneering heart research and sharing news of the upcoming BN events, including the inaugural Naked Heart Walk and the relaunched Great British Skinny Dip.
Reserve your place now - it's free.
Not a member? Come and find out why you should change that!
If this website and our quarterly magazine isn't enough for your news, information and event updates, did you know that we also issue a regular newsletter that will come straight to your inbox? It's not just for members either. So, even if you have a passing interest in Naturism, or are dipping that first naked toe in the clothes-free waters, you can sign up.
Why not do it now?
You'll also find on that page a link to previous newsletters and so you can see what you've been missing - or maybe send the links to people you know who you think would also like to receive them.
If you'd received our newsletter from earlier this week, you would have read about the South African connection on next week's The Forum Live, and read about the event highlights of this weekend including yoga and meditation classes, Keep Fit for British Heart Foundation, the naked 80s disco and Naked Brunch cook-along, as well as information on all the online events taking place next week. Find all those details here.
Next Monday's (15 February) guest on The Forum Live will be Christo Bothma, President of SANNA, the South African Naturist Federation.
16 years ago Christo and his the wife tried Naturism and they were hooked. They started one of the local provincial Associations in South Africa in 2014.
In 2015 he was a founding member of SANNA and was elected Chairman (President) in 2019.
'Naturism is alive and well in South Africa', says Christo. Come and hear more on Monday evening
We hope that those of you who have shopped with us are now enjoying their purchases. We’ve been really pleased to receive so many orders - it has exceeded our expectations We’ve shipped orders all over the country, and to France, Germany and the Netherlands!
Best sellers are the ‘I’d rather be naked’ mug and the ‘I’ve got nothing on later’ hoodie. We’ll be adding new products soon...
Head to the shop website, and - members - don’t forget to link your BN and shop accounts to get a 15% discount.
Next Monday evening (8th February) we will be delighted to welcome mother and daughter, Anja and Charlotte, from the popular French Naturist campsite La Petite Brenne.
Anja and husband Carel gave up their life in Utrecht, Netherlands and purchased an old site which after much work, blossomed into the lovely resort it is today. Charlotte was six years old at that time, but is now taking over the running of the place.
Come and hear about their journey and plans for the future. www.lapetitebrenne.com
Reserve your place here
BN’s friend Laurent Luft of the Association Naturiste de Paris and FFN, tells us of one of his favourite French holiday spots.
The Gard and its surrounds is a region of southern France rich in History, from prehistoric early man who left his mark on the walls of caves, to the Romans who built roads, bridges and aqueducts, to medieval popes who called Avignon home during the 14th Century. Nestled among these World Heritage sites is the valley of the Cèze, with hundreds of hectares classified as a Naturist Reserve. Bordering the River Cèze, there are hiking trails along which one can walk naked for hours with no chance of upsetting a surprised clothed-person. There are also several naturist resorts: the Fereyrolles camping ground, la Genèse naturist resort and the jewel in the crown, the village of la Sablière.
Gaby Cespedès created la Sablière from scratch 40 years ago, along with her late husband. She has become one of the emblematic characters of the French naturist movement and her energy extends way beyond the outskirts of her vast domain. I can’t count the number of times we’ve worked together at stalls promoting naturism at Parisian tourist fairs. Her devotion to the naturist way of life is beyond compare.
I often hear complaints from people who visited a naturist resort where nudity was the exception rather than the rule. At la Sablière, it is rare to see someone in clothes. If you’re trying naturism for the first time, it’s the ideal place, as here one would look more out of place clothed than naked. This well-respected nudity comes from Gaby herself, who is clearly no fan of clothes. She has always set an example that we’re all happy to follow. Even at night at the restaurants, many prefer to remain naked.
La Sablière is built on several levels and each area has its devotees. At the top you’ll find Pinson, with large chalets and sweeping views across the valley. Further down you have the Mésange area, dotted with chalets and also popular with campers, with easy access to the very well-stocked supermarket and the river. On the other side, there is a large selection of mobile homes in the Fauvette area and more camping pitches close to the river. If you’re looking for total calm, where the only noise during the day is that of the cicadas, this is the place for you.
There are many activities on site, all naturist, naturally. There are extensive hiking trails, some very well signposted and others a little more savage. A path leading through the trees takes you on a visit to the ruins of a 12th Century fortress, le Château des Fereyrolles. On the other side of the river, for the more experienced hikers, there is the rock formation nicknamed the Three Arches. Next to the supermarket is a fully equipped gym and further up there are three swimming pools where you can take it easy or join in a session of the very popular water aerobics or yoga. Archery is also very popular and in high season there are cooking classes, pottery, silk painting, body painting, kids club and the immensely popular mud bath every Friday afternoon on the river. Another popular activity on the River Cèze (but mainly with teenagers) is climbing as high up the rocks as possible and jumping into the water.
If you really want to do nothing, buy yourself an inflatable mattress and let the river’s natural flow take you on a journey. From Fauvette all the way down to the main beach of la Genèse, you can forget about life for a few hours, admiring the gorges towering over you.
Every chalet has a functional kitchen but with the crêperie in the pool area, les Trois Arches pizzeria next to the supermarket and the more relaxed hidden gem le Khunu in the Fauvette area, you may be tempted to eat out every day. And don’t forget ice-cream o’clock every afternoon at the Eden Roc bar.
In the surrounding areas, your thirst for history will be quenched, as the region is drowning in it. The Grotte Chauvet (Chauvet Cave) is home to images of animals painted over 30,000 years ago. Le Pont du Gard, a 2000 year old Roman aqueduct bridge, is only 45 minutes away and Avignon is not much further.
A stay at la Sablière is more than a holiday - it’s an unforgettable moment in your life. It has become one of the world’s most iconic naturist resorts and it’s waiting for you.
Tel : 33 (0)4 66 24 51 16
Website: https://www.villagesabliere.com
We're bringing our monthly debate and discussion session forward a week and next Monday (1st February) we invite you come and give us your views and hear those of others on the best way to talk about Naturism to friends, family, colleagues...anyone! We'd love to hear of your experiences.
We all know that it's a perfectly lovely, normal, enjoyable thing but some people in the world haven't cottoned on to that and it can make some of those conversations awkward! Feedback from Naturists who decide to take the plunge and tell people what they do on a hot afternoon say it was a relief to get it out there and they feel even happier about being a Naturist as a result.
The more of us talking about Naturism, the more it becomes a mainstream and the better for us all.
Eager to dive in before Monday? Visit the members' area of the forum to download our crib sheet 'How to talk about Naturism' and the experiences of people telling others in our 'Just One Person' campaign.
Reserve your place at the session now!
As a volunteer-led organisation, British Naturism recognises the value volunteers bring; the time, energy, skills and knowledge they contribute; and the important role volunteers play in:
enabling the organisation to function and deliver its services;
developing, enabling and supporting opportunities for people to practise a Naturist lifestyle;
promoting understanding and acceptance of the practice and benefits of Naturism.
Our volunteers make amazing things happen! They plan, organise, support and deliver opportunities for people to engage in a wide range of activities. Our volunteers also do a great deal to ensure that the practice and benefits of Naturism are widely understood and accepted.
Could this be you? Visit our Volunteering pages for more information...
British Naturism has published its new Equality and Diversity Policy and Code of Practice.
British Naturism has already done much to address issues around equality, diversity and inclusion within the organisation; for example raising awareness of body positivity, mental health, women’s equality, hate crime and anti-discrimination practice within Naturism; and this Policy, along with its Code of Practice, is designed to enhance that work and take the organisation forward in this important area.
The Policy and Code of Practice seeks to:
eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment, victimisation and other conduct prohibited by the Equality Act 2010;
advance equality of opportunity between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not;
recognise and celebrate diversity; promote inclusion and foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not.
Members can download the Policy from the Members Area (log in required)
Not a member? Find out how to change that on our Membership Information Page...
I've been looking forward to being able to host this one for ages... John Weir is British Naturism's IT support manager, who works tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure that everything IT in BN works smoothly and delivers the benefits it should. Our reliance on technology has grown exponentially over the years. Despite it being a volunteer role, John spends more time than he probably would in a full time job.
John's a BN member and has been a Naturist since his early 20s, and worked in IT before he retired, building up experience and expertise in training and technical support roles at country, European and finally, Global levels.
To list the work he does for BN would require many pages. We have websites, the forum, the BN email system, the membership database and many other sites and platforms that require attention, upgrading, maintenance, supervision...
Come along on Monday and hear more about it - reserve your place here
We're delighted to announce that, after the volunteer role being vacant for many years, we have appointed BN member Brian Curragh as our new Archivist.
Brian says:
My wife and I have been Naturists since the early 1980s where we started our journey at Fairlight Cove. The Greek Islands – Andros, Zakynthos, Lesbos, Crete and Karpathos – then became our choice for sunbathing before we focussed on France with regular stays at first Belezy and then Arna – which remains our favourite place. In between we explored the Naturist beach at the Hawksbill Hotel on Antigua and finally got to Playalinda beach on the Atlantic coast of Florida.
It wasn’t all beach based as for two years we were members at Blackthorns. We’ve also been keen members of British Naturism since 1996.
My interest in history was always there but was brought to a new focus when I did a MA in British First World War Studies at the University of Birmingham. This led to me getting three chapters published in academic studies of the Great War alongside writing journals and book reviews. I have now taken the next step by starting a PhD at the University of Wolverhampton which will look at patronage in the Late Victorian Army.
What my academic studies have given me is a solid understanding of the importance of good quality archives for any organisation and also the chance to observe how these national archives are operated. Archives need to be secure and accessible if they are to play a role in promoting study of any movement.
So, with our personal voyage through Naturism alongside my academic studies and a strong fascination with the history of Naturism, I am delighted to take on the role of Archivist for British Naturism. Securing the archives and seeing them in a new home is my initial objective. I also intend to forge strong links with naturist archives in the United States and Europe which will give further examples of best practice and the promotion of access thereby bringing the study of Naturism firmly to the foreground as part of a wider move towards normalising it.
archive@bn.org.uk
Don't let anyone tell you there is nothing to do during lockdown...there's an amazing line-up of online events at British Naturism this weekend - if you start now, it's even better!
All our activities can be done from wherever you are in the world and without having to bother to get dressed...and many of them are FREE to our members.
Choose from - or attend them all
Friday - Fitsteps : Yoga, the Big Quiz, and Pub Night at the Bare Arms Saturday - Power Yoga, Keep Fit for British Heart Foundation, and the year's first Naked Disco, where it will be 60s night! Sunday - Earth Meditation, the new Sunday Brunch cook-along and Yoga.
Also - our friends at the Paris Naturist Association are hosting another 'Hands Across the Globe' online event where you can meet and talk to Naturists from around the world, on Sunday evening.
Some of these events are for members of British Naturism only. If you're not one of them, it's easy to join...find out how and details of all the benefits you will receive
The Forum Live next Monday (18th January) will showcase the wonderful world of British Naturism events for 2021. Well, we will certainly tell you what we are planning and will have to wait and see if the global circumstances will allow us to go ahead!
My guest will be BN's Event Manager, Mark Walsh, who will talk about the real, face-to-face events that are scheduled and what you can expect at them, both in terms of activity, and measures we may have to put in place in view of the pandemic.
I'll also be asking Mark about the huge range of online events - including all the fantastic new ones - that won't be affected by what's happening in the pesky outside world...
The Forum Live is open to BN and INF members, including AANR and is free to attend.
Reserve your place now...
‘From the time I first saw British Naturism Sunfolk, I fell in love with it. It was March – a damp, cool, misty day. The trees were still bare, holly was sprawling and the buildings were dull and tired. But there was something about the whole place; it was full of history and promise. And so began the season of Sunfolk for us as a family – a haven, four hours drive from our home up North,’ writes Fran.
When Covid, school and life allowed, myself and our daughters, 14 and 12, bundled into my little car and headed down South – joining my husband who often stayed on site to project manage.
At the outset, we met some of the ‘legacy' members (members of Sunfolk at the time of the BN acquisition) and listened fondly to their memories of spending time there over the years, often with their young children, now adults with families of their own. We flicked through the black and white photo albums, taking in the evolution of this beautiful site – pictures of members building a windmill, digging out tree stumps with axes and bare hands, and building an actual flushing toilet!
Our children explored the woodlands, finding old rope and trying desperately to make a swing in the old oak tree on the lawn. Dejected from their efforts they eventually gave up. And then, as if by magic, a rope swing appears – hanging perfectly from a thick branch, a chunky log for a seat. Legacy member Martin had seen the rope on the lawn and within minutes had grabbed a drill from the workshop, made a hole in a log and deftly sent the rope up into the trees for the swing. And so it now hangs – thanks Martin!
Early on, we teamed up with another family and formed a little bubble of Sunfolk energy and inspiration. We cleared forgotten pathways, donned white coats and painted the gates, hauled old items from the woods, scrubbed swimming pool tiles, dusted ancient cobwebs, weeded, pruned, cleared, cleaned...
As the season warmed, Sunfolk began to shine. Covid faded (a little) and our bubble expanded. Volunteers came, armed with bundles of enthusiasm and smiles. Everyone seems to want the absolute best for Sunfolk – it has that effect on people. The sun often shone (though not always!) and with a huge fire in the woods, all that was needed was thick gloves and boots! Miles and miles, trodden back and forth, dragging holly and fallen trees, cutting dense undergrowth and flinging everything on the fire (hanging around a little longer when it rained to warm up before the next journey!). And soon, the beauty of the woods unfolded – a clear path to walk and light shining through the trees.
Next, piles of wood chippings, left by the tree surgeon, just waiting for those willing volunteers to grab wheelbarrows and rakes (a memory of hours of their time Roy and Alan will never forget)! Where diggers had scraped roadways for cars, steam rollers trundled to flatten, and the wood chips were spread to create clear areas for caravans and camper vans.
As the time passed, job lists grew – projects created, then ticked off, done! The toilet block was painted, a wash-up kitchen built at the back for campers, paths re-done, the sun lounge repainted and re-carpeted (girl power thanks to Pam and Claire!), a barbeque was built (by the ever-practical Matt), new outdoor showers installed, areas cleared and tidied…
But it wasn’t all work all of the time. There is such a beauty to sharing space and working hard – friendships deepened, new friendships formed… In all honestly it rarely felt like ‘work’. We laughed (a lot), we ate together, had crazy fun in the pool. Our children brought fun and energy and laughter, and often got stuck in with whatever projects were going on around them. This is real community – people of all ages coming together and spending time together. Sharing something special.
By the time Sunfolk came to opening weekend, we were a bundle of satisfied exhaustion and nervous tension – would people like it? Had we done enough? Would they see the rustic appeal of this lovely woodland site just like we had…?
And I think the resounding answer is…. Yes!
People came and went throughout the late Summer – some to relax and spend time quietly enjoying the space, some to enjoy walking and cycling the surrounding areas, some to spend time with friends and make new ones. A highlight for many is the evening campfire – a chance to sit and relax and chat after a day of maybe sunbathing, reading, sauna time, a little swimming…
One of the loveliest times for me was the weekend where families and young people came – we weren’t able to have NKD this year, so we had a low-key weekend sharing Sunfolk together. It was just beautiful and epitomises what Naturism is for me – community and friendship. Where everyone regardless of age, or background, or anything else can just come together through the shared enjoyment of simple Naturism and spend time together. It is good for us – it is good for our children.
When I drove away from Sunfolk for the last time this year, my heart saddened a little. I miss it – the people, the most. I would like to say a huge thank you to everyone I spent time with at Sunfolk – the amazing volunteers who helped make Sunfolk the welcoming place it is. And to those I met who were visiting – it was a pleasure.
I look forward to the coming year and what more Sunfolk can offer (the project list is already growing!). Maybe I will see you there…?
sunfolk.bn.org.uk
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