The second annual Great British Skinny Dip organised by British Naturism, the UK’s national naturist organisation, takes place this weekend, Friday 13 – Sunday 15 July.
Venues include naturist clubs, holiday resorts, municipal pools, and two “wild” locations. You can skinny dip in Cambridgeshire, County Durham, Cumbria, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Hertfordshire, Lancashire and Oxfordshire.
It often surprises people to learn just how many Naturist locations there are in the UK and just how popular it is. A survey commissioned by BN in the autumn of 2011 and carried out by IPSOS MORI shows that there are 3.7 million naturists in the UK.
British Naturism's Commercial Manager, Andrew Welch said:
“Things are really changing in the culture and attitudes of the previously “buttoned-up” British population, with many more people realising the benefits of going without clothes. And we’ve not become a nation of exhibitionists – people do it for the feeling they get from the sun and breeze on their skin, and water around their whole body – plus the fantastic community sprit there is amongst people who have discovered such a wonderfully relaxing way to spend time. Naturism promotes positive body image and is good for your health, emotionally, physically and mentally. Go on, you have nothing to lose but your clothes!
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Contacts:
BN Commercial Manager
Andrew Welch 01753 481527
07774 955138
Notes for Editors
British Naturism (BN) is the UK’s officially recognised naturist organisation. It exists to support and unite naturists around the UK and will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2014, although its predecessors were in existence since the 1930s.
Amongst the aims of BN are to campaign for more places to be made available for naturism and to protect naturists against discrimination and Victorian attitudes to the human body.
Fact – in law, there is no offence of nudity. Various pieces of legislation and common law are often mentioned in connection with naturism but they are not relevant.
In the UK, there are over 130 sun clubs, swim clubs and holiday resorts and many beaches used regularly by naturists. Membership of BN is around 10,500 people with many more being members of clubs affiliated to BN.
YBN (Young British Naturists) has a membership of young men and women between the ages of 18 and 30 who get together at clubs and beaches many weekends. They represent the UK at the International Naturist Federation (INF) Youth Rally held annually
Naturism is good for you! Naturists report improvements in well-being, stress, chronic illness, self-esteem and body image. It’s also a sensible choice of dress when the weather is warm. Naturists are normal people. The only difference between activities inside and outside of naturism is the dress code.
It is a fallacy to believe that naked children are any more at risk in a naturist environment. Unaccompanied children are not permitted in naturist places and the community spirit that pervades ensures that a watchful eye is present. Despite the perception, there are far fewer problems in naturism than in more “public” places where children and adults mix. Mindful of the need to be aware of child safeguarding issues, however, BN have a robust child safeguarding policy, code of practice, and a Child Safeguarding sub-committee that meets regularly and runs workshops on the subject, sometimes to groups from outside the naturist world.
For the media, there is a dedicated “Media Centre” at https://www.bn.org.uk/media, which contains useful information for those wishing to write about naturism or to feature this wonderful world in their publications or programmes