Roni Writes...

Roni asks, ‘Could highlighting foreign travel be proving detrimental to our clubs or are Naturists ruining it for themselves?’ There appears to be a rumbling and a grumbling on the Naturist grapevine that too much focus is put onto BN events and foreign destinations and not enough said about the various clubs dotted around the country that, some say, are the back bone of the whole movement. I think it’s true that the clubs were the foundation of Naturism in Great Britain and if it weren’t f

Don’t put off until tomorrow, what you can take off today! Every body benefits from nudity! Get to your nearest Naturist venue and give it a go!  Established Naturists will think they needn’t read this because they know what to do and where to do it but please continue because it might remind you how you once felt and enable you to help potential Naturists, giving them the understanding and support they need to enjoy the glorious, summer months coming soon!  (Please don’t burst my

Roni Fine attempts to classify the different stages of Naturism and asks are you Regular or Weird!  10 Naked all the time I can!  9 Naked at all BN events.  8 Naked at Naturist clubs.  7 Naked on dedicated Naturist beaches.  6 Naked on holiday abroad.  5 Naked in own (secluded) garden.  4 Naked in own home alone.  3 Naked; might be tempted but unlikely.  2 Naked; only when essential.  1 Naked? No! Don’t even talk about it!  When I started en

Regular readers might recall Roni has previously written about children in naturism to find out if they were happy being naked and what impact they thought it was having on their lives. The answers were all positive and included a gain in confidence and a better understanding of body image, being able to discuss personal matters with each other, with either sex and understand possible pitfalls of growing up. We decided to revisit the subject… We've recently enjoyed our Family Week at Blackt

Janey’s Story After 19 months of discomfort, upset, disbelief and seven rounds of surgery Janey finally emerged a different person. Or did she? Talking with Janey about her Colostomy* which means she now wears a Stoma Bag* was very enlightening for me and yes, I do think she is a different person but only in that she is stronger, even more determined to live her life to the full and happy to help anyone else facing similar surgery to that she endured; to prove there IS life beyond a stoma bag!

Self-confidence gives you power: a feeling of being able to cope with whatever life throws at you. Many a Naturist would agree that social nudity has helped them achieve that, but why is this? Most of us have been brought up with nudity being something very private, so do we feel empowered because we’ve overcome this taboo? Naturism is about Body Confidence and Body Acceptance. We might not all be Body Beautiful but then that isn’t what Naturism is about; it’s about the Feel Good Factor. That’s

Once the decision to be a Naturist is made, some people simply find themselves somewhere suitable and strip off, whilst others want to be but are still not sure how, where or why! Let’s start with the easy bit: Why? Okay so we dress it up, (a rare thing for a Naturist, I know) with explanations of soaking up the much needed Vitamin D for some really good health reasons, for not having to sport “white bits”, especially strap marks for the ladies, (well, usually for the ladies), for it b

Just say the word “naked” out loud amidst a group of people and see how many turn round to listen to what you’re saying. You’ll see their ears flapping! Now say the word “Naturist.” Did that cause as much interest? Probably not,but to us they are one and the same, so why is it so different to the unconverted? Although, thinking about it, it’s good that nakedness gets more of a reaction than Naturist, as that is exactly what we are striving for – complete blasé, which would mean complete acc

Okay, hands up all those who were brought up to always try the food on their plate and not take one look at it and declare, “I don’t like it”? My Mum always told me to try it before deciding because I might well discover that I DO like it! Apply this to everything new you encounter and you could lead a full and interesting life! How many of you, particularly the women reading this, have never actually tried Naturism but are stubbornly declaring it is not for you and you won’t like it?! My e

Q1 I am a single man and cannot get accepted for membership into a Naturist club Why is this? Reply: I’m sorry to hear of your difficulty in securing membership. There are several reasons why this might happen but I think the main one tends to be that most clubs wish to maintain a balance of gender and singles to couples, to create a comfortable mix. Clubs can easily get inundated with applications from single males and some will get through whilst others might be placed on a waiting list.

WARNING: THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE MIGHT CONTAIN NUDITY, BAD LANGUAGE AND REFERENCES OF A SEXUAL NATURE AND ACTS OF VIOLENCE. Now, do you immediately want to read on and find out what this relates to? I feel sure that a lot of readers will now be skimming through the paragraphs trying to locate the rude bits, like most of the population are supposed to do when discovering a copy of Lady Chatterley’s Lover. Am I right? Similar warnings are broadcast on television chan

POLONIUS: “ . . . Don’t be quick to pick a fight, but once you’re in one, hold your own. Listen to many people, but talk to few. Hear everyone’s opinion, but reserve your judgment. Spend all you can afford on clothes, but make sure they’re quality, not flashy, since clothes make the man. . . . Don’t borrow money and don’t lend it, . . . And, above all, be true to yourself. . . .” (Hamlet Act 1, Scene 3, Modern translation) Well, who would argue with Shakespeare? I think the choice

We try so hard to publicise naturism, but it is often a difficult topic to illustrate! Not only are some of us hesitant to have photos taken, but we always have to be aware of how much of the body we actually show when portraying naturists. Though we might take nudity for granted, we have to remember that not everyone is ready for such complete acceptance of the human form, so we have to tailor the photo to suit the particular audience we are dealing with. Or do we? Should we simply declare

If Ascot can do it, then it’s good enough for us – Let’s have a Ladies Day, says Roni Fine. A common complaint among naturists is that there are too many men, particularly single ones: I beg to differ: the truth is there are not enough women, married or single! So what can we do about this? We need to take naturism to women, to catch their eye and interest. I have always thought the fact that BN magazines feature photos of their members is a wise move. Prospective naturist ladies are often

“Don’t be scared,” says regular BN contributor Roni Fine, “telling people you are a naturist doesn’t lead you to be outcast by friends and family.” Ask a company for the best form of advertising and the answer will invariably be “word of mouth”. If you want a plumber or decorator, don’t you always ask around first, hoping someone be recommended? You can always pick a firm out of Yellow Pages but you don’t know what they are like first hand. So what is the best way of getting across that nat

Roni Fine asks: “Can clothes be a choice?” How many times have you been caught up in the old argument amongst naturists regarding whether places should be naturistonly or clothes-optional? Would it attract the voyeurs or entice the hesitant person to take part? In an ideal world, it shouldn’t matter who is clothed and who isn’t, but we are not there yet! Which side of the argument do you take and have you considered it from all angles? Public beaches that allocate us a sectionwher

Roni Fine gives a beginner’s guide to naturism So you’ve decided to become a naturist, now what? Is it that simple - you take your clothes off and that’s it? Well, yes, in principle that’s all you need to do, but there is a whole lot more out there to make naturism an enjoyable way of life. To be reading this you have obviously got as far as joining BN, or know someone who has, and that is a good way of sourcing information. You can find details of clubs and swims, days out and holiday

In your enthusiasm to introduce people to the naturist lifestyle you may need to pause and think of how you are going to portray it, as those first few words could make the difference between attraction and repulsion. So often I have heard the question, “Why would I want to do that?” and that can mean a lengthy explanation, so let’s get the explanation in first and they won’t need to ask! Example 1: “I go somewhere where we all take our clothes off and lie in the sun, play sports

Roni Fine talks to naturists about body image. Going to a wedding, an interview, a party or a first date? These occasions usually involve worrying about what to wear! We want to create a good first impression. Image! It's an important thing and not just with clothes but with our whole bodies. The fashion industry has indoctrinated us with what the right look is and which size and shape we must be. Most of this is an impossible ambition and many people suffer from eating disorders and d

Roni Fine, regular BN contributor and PRO for Blackthorns, BN club of the year 2005, talks to families in naturism The media and those new to naturism are often surprised by the numbers of young people and families that frequent the naturist venues around the UK - having mistakenly thought of it as the pastime of the elderly. But what better way of escaping the stress of modern life than to seek relaxation in a peaceful setting such as a naturist club? It encourages families to spend qualit