News and Articles

Oasis - a fertile spot in a desert (Bedford), where water is found....

Oasis - a fertile spot in a desert (Bedford), where water is found....

It was great to be back at Oasis Beach Pool in Bedford last weekend for another Waterpark event. Around 120 Naturists from all over came to have a fun session in the pool and on the slides.
 
The event was recently revived by a member from the Eastern region contacting the pool directly and once permission was granted, the British Naturism Event Team took it on from there and made it happen – a perfect example of how some BN Team Work with a push from a local member can really make a difference.
 
One thing that you have to take away from the waterpark events is the sense of community – the staff at Oasis commented on how this wasn’t just 100 plus people attending a swim but was a community, getting together and enjoying a night of Naturist freedom.
 
We will be back at Oasis in 2020 – dates to follow…
 

Naked Dining in Suffolk

Naked Dining in Suffolk

Early October saw our second venture to the land of the south folk - Folkcafe near Bury St Edmunds, and again it was a sellout.
37 guests attended and enjoyed starters of sharing platters of mediterranean treats. This was followed by either beef and barley-bean casserole or lentil and aubergine bake and finished off with chocolate torte or apple and almond cake, both served with ice-cream. The food was delicious, the venue was delightful and the company and conversation convivial. There was also the inevitable quiz - this time all about Suffolk.
Ali and her staff were extremely welcoming and keen for us to make a return visit.
The cafe is close to the A14 and is easily accessible from most places in East Anglia.
It was good to see a significant number of new faces which were still smiling at the end of the evening; so it looks as though this area is a good base for future British Naturism events.
Find details of the next naked dining event - at the Orchard Fairfield in Stotfold on 7th December for Christmas and all our other forthcoming events and swims.
 
Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

Vision for Twenty-twenty

Vision for Twenty-twenty

Naturists came from all over the UK coming together to help shape the future of BN.
On Saturday around forty members from our Eastern and LASER regions met at one of the oldest sun clubs in the UK, The Sunfolk Society, established in 1931, for a Vision Day. It was the second in the series and and was designed for feedback and discussion rather than presentation based. Most of the time is given to members to collaborate and have their say. 
We also held our AGM - another opportunity for members to vote and have their say in the running of the business. 
Following elections, a number of people officially joined the EC, or were confirmed in an existing role and or took up a new challenge, as follows:
President, Mark Bass
Finance Director, Phil Hughes
International Director, Edwin Kilby
Regional Co-ordinators: Eastern Region, Robert Finney; South West, Mike Whitcombe; Yorkshire and East Midlands Andrew Calow.
All motions were passed:
To Approve the Annual Report
To Increase Membership Fees by £1 per person
To Adopt the Modification of the Bye-Laws
 
Main Photo: Photo by Christian Fregnan on Unsplash
Other photos: BN/Mark Bass
To Adopt the Modification of the Articles
 
 

Going Dutch

Going Dutch

A great weekend was had by all in Amsterdam for the BN-organised weekend to Spa Zuiver. It's a huge and amazing place with multiple saunas, pools, hot tubs and relaxing areas with a hotel in the same building and restaurants and bars. Needless to say, swimming costumes are banned in the spa area.
Our group also spent time in the city, as our photo shows, enjoying unseasonably warm weather.
Two more such weekends are planned for 2020. Keep an eye out for details.

Dive in to an event!

Dive in to an event!

The summer may be coming to an end, but Naturist events in the UK keep going...
Keep an eye on our various event listings and find details of fantastic gatherings happening soon, including nude evenings at top waterparks, hotel weekends (including the best one of the year at Alton Towers), overseas holidays, and hundreds of regular swimming sessions where a costume is not needed!
See you there!
 
The BN event ticket sales website
Big Days Out
The BN website calendar - filter by region to find out what's happening near you!
The Great British Skinny Dip - now all year round...

Our Bodies Our Selves

Our Bodies Our Selves

I am stroking a horse’s head and talking gently to her. She is nuzzling against me and sniffing around my body, I think she recognises me by the smell of my body, or perhaps it is the scent of the lavender I picked earlier. I left home today just before dawn, naked under a crescent moon, and walked through
the town past sleeping houses and out into the countryside. A bat flitted around the allotments. It is now 5am and I am in a field with this friendly
horse, the sky is reddening and there is the fresh smell of a new day beginning. A buzzard soars overhead.

In this timeless moment of nakedness I am feeling a deep spiritual happiness, a sense of wonder at being a living, physical, organic being, a part of the
cycle of nature existing in a vast and mysterious universe. I linger in the stillness of this joyful embrace with the world.
The horse has turned her attention back to the grass, so I whisper goodbye and walk on to where a cool mist is rising from the stream.
The damp air sends a shiver tingling down my spine. Two deer leap away from me, their white rumps bobbing comically. There are some cattle with
calves in the stream and I can hear the bleating of sheep in the field beyond. Small black slugs are sliding along the dew-soaked grass. I once saw an adder here.

There is a dream-like quality to this journey of sensations and encounters in the half light with other creatures. In her book The Body in Society the
sociologist Alexandra Howson discusses the embodied self, how the lived experience of our bodies and their interaction with society and the world around us creates and maintains our sense of self. As we awake in the morning, we become aware of our body’s slack weight, its warm contact with the sheets, the sensations in the hands and feet, our breathing, the soft beating of the heart, the sounds around us. We leave the night world of dreams and return to our conscious selves, the ones we have come to know throughout our lives. Our society tends to separate mind from body and privilege the mind over the body (the Cartesian Duality). Society mediates our attitude to our bodies (with media coverage of bodies, health, diet, exercise, sex etc.) and in doing so they may be made the focus of discomfort, anxiety or shame.
In the hot summer of 2018, Naturism grew in Britain with many reports of skinny dipping, naked rambling and cycling. There has been much
favourable media coverage. I was to invited by BBC Radio Kent (the Julia George programme) to talk about naked sunbathing. Alice O’Keeffe,
writing in the Guardian (27th July 2018) changed from someone who would rather “gnaw off an arm” than be naked in public to a committed
“evangelical” Naturist. It seems to have taken just five minutes of skinny dipping with others! She writes that it was such a tonic to be surrounded by
other people with “bumps and scars, hairy bits and dangly bits”. And she describes the moment in childhood when she was mocked in the
changing room and first realised that she was “supposed to hide her body from others”. As we grow up, we learn that we are expected to behave in
accordance with the norms of society. Those who don’t practise this self-restraint (see The Body in Society) may be subject to (or may fear)
criticism, hostility, mockery or worse by those around them. How much the hotter weather changes all this, I’m finding lots of interest, support
and encouragement, our culture truly is embracing nudity! 
I have been on this naked dawn walk many times and it has become very precious to me. I have encountered only a few humans, none of whom seemed particularly surprised by my nakedness. There was a young man in a suit, maybe on his way for a train to town and another hot day in the office. As we greeted, I thought he looked as though he rather envied my freedom. There were two workmen in red overalls, a cyclist in hi-viz with flashing lights, a few lightly-clad dog walkers. These were people very much engaged in a human world and separated from the natural world of animals with hair, wool, fur or feather that has welcomed me, the naked ape with a little body hair, boots and a hat.

Nearing home, I am now walking through woods, my boots are wet and I am being covered by morning cobwebs. This makes me think
of the story of the Emperor’s new clothes and the honest child who was concerned, not by the nakedness, but by the collective delusion. As the
air warms I hear distant sounds of activity and begin to feel hungry. I wonder what the horse will do all day - eat grass I expect. I hope she will be
waiting for me tomorrow.

Reference: The Body in Society, Alexandra Howson, Polity Press 2011
Roger Coupe
Twitter: @RogerNakear)
 

Highland Wilderness Walking Weekend

Highland Wilderness Walking Weekend

Of all the places I thought I’d be having a conversation about what motivates me as a Naturist and the finer points of our legal rights, the bar at the Corrour Station House probably wasn’t at the top of my list…
The idea for the Highland Wilderness and Walking Weekend, which took place on the Corrour Estate in the central Highlands of Scotland in July, seemed perhaps too ‘specialist’ when I came up with it in 2018. Would people really be interested in a weekend staying in a very remote youth hostel, focused on hill walking and wild swimming? Would it really be possible to do all this naked?
The answer to both questions turned out to be a resounding ‘yes’, which is how I came to be having a conversation with one of the professional deer stalkers on the estate at the Station House bar. Liam was clear that, whilst skinny-dipping made sense, climbing mountains naked wouldn’t be for him – but he was really interested in what we were doing, and why we would choose to come to such a remote location. As he put it ‘you’re the main topic of conversation on the estate this weekend’
A group of eighteen BN members and guests made the trip to the hostel at Loch Ossian. Scotland was well represented, but people had travelled from all parts of the country to join the event – helped by the fact that although Corrour is the only station in the UK not accessible by public road, you can get a direct train there from the centres of London and Glasgow
Our group also had varied experiences of hill walking – naked or otherwise. For some, it would be their first experience of the Scottish Highlands. For others, it would be their first experience of naked walking. For one of the group, the weekend was a chance to fulfil a long-held ambition of climbing a Munro (one of the highest peaks in Scotland) naked
Helped by much better weather than the forecast had suggested, we were all able to achieve our objectives. We split into smaller groups to walk throughout the weekend, completing walks that ranged from a pleasant stroll around Loch Ossian and visits to remote mountain bothies to 20-mile-plus epics taking in multiple mountain peaks
As a group, we’d agreed that we would cover up when we met members of the public only when we felt as individuals that this was the right thing to do – in practice this worked out well. Although the Corrour Estate is very remote, the train station makes it accessible for day visitors, so we probably interacted with more than a hundred non-Naturists over the course of the weekend. We received the usual range of reactions from being ignored, to being asked questions and receiving supportive comments – but we received no complaints or hostile reactions. Knowing that we also had the support of Hostelling Scotland and the Corrour Estate for our weekend also allowed us to be confidently naked around the hostel and on Estate tracks
Our base for the weekend was the hostel on the shore of Loch Ossian – facilities were basic in the hostel, but we all managed to get along and find enough space to eat, drink and sleep as well as for wide ranging discussions about Naturism, mountains and beyond
One of the great advantages of the hostel location was the ability it gave us to swim naked in Loch Ossian which most members of the group managed throughout the weekend. Although not an official GBSD location, we certainly did our bit!
Throughout the weekend we received great support from the hostel warden, Katrina, who was very relaxed with us as a Naturist group and who mentioned on a number of occasions how happy she was that we had come to stay and to enjoy the loch, the hills and the hostel naked
The weekend came to a close on the Sunday evening with a meal at the Station House restaurant. Most of the group chose to be naked for this, which we had agreed in advance with the venue. The local venison stew proved to be a popular choice with most of the group, but everyone agreed it was almost impossible to eat the three courses we had ordered – with portions designed for people who had been out in the hills all day!
And to round off a weekend of ‘firsts’ for me, we ventured out onto the station platform for a group picture after our meal. Possibly not the first picture of a naked group taken on a mainline station platform, but almost certainly the first one in that location
So, all in all, the weekend provided to be a great success. The weather was reasonably kind, the midges didn’t cause us too many problems and we were able to enjoy a spectacular location naked. We also earned the support and respect of our hosts for the weekend, and proved that we could meet other members of the public whilst we were naked without covering up and without causing problems or complaints
Hostelling Scotland were very keen for us to repeat the event, so we have already booked the weekend of 04 to 07 September in 2020 for this – you’ll fund further details on BN Events if you’d like to join us.   
Jon Williams

Julia Bradbury puts the record straight

Julia Bradbury puts the record straight

Julia Bradbury - ex BBC “Countryfile” presenter and more recently ITV's “Britain's Best walks” and “Australia with Julia Bradbury” was back on our small screens recently alongside Sir Trevor McDonald co-presenting “Britain's National Treasures” hiking along rugged landscapes wearing the kind of outdoor gear you’d expect a seasoned champion of the outdoors to wear. Our hopes were heightened though by a newspaper interview to publicise the 90 minute national treasure countdown, which showed a naked photograph of Julia on the front page under the headline ‘I walk around the house naked’.
In an interview for the Daily Mirror she was asked about her children's reaction to her nude photograph (see our picture) the previous year as part of her involvement with a ‘Keep Britain Tidy’ anti-single use plastic campaign, laying on 750 strategically placed plastic water bottles - the number that gets dumped in England every minute. She replied that her family had a 'healthy attitude towards nudity' and all of them were very happy with the picture. The headline for the Mirror article was “Happy to be Naked.”
Thinking we’d found a fellow traveller, British Naturism got in touch with Julia who told us, ‘Sorry to disappoint you, but you can’t always believe the headlines you read! Yes, we are unashamed of our bodies at home but it would be wrong to assume we have a fully Naturist house. What I meant in the article is that I’m not shy when it comes to being naked in front of the kids. I think it’s important  to have a healthy relationship with our bodies and I don’t want my kids thinking nudity is ‘wrong.’ I wouldn’t describe myself as a Naturist but I don’t have a problem with anyone who is. I am keen on encouraging people to experience - and protect - the natural environment and so I have an empathy with the Naturist community. I’m also involved with charities including Plan UK, which campaigns for children’s rights and equality for girls and their sexual and reproductive health.’
Julia and her team are keen to keep in touch with British Naturism and some possible projects have been discussed. To kick things off, we’re going to be listing some of our naked countryside walks on her website at https://theoutdoorguide.co.uk.

BN221 - Autumn 2019

BN221 - Autumn 2019

Dip into our Autumn magazine, packed with reports celebrating the best of the Naturist year so far and inspiring highlights to come…
 
Inside, you’ll find:
Visitor reports from NKD, the second outing for our youth and family festival;
A look back at our biggest and best Nudefest yet;
Accounts from around the country – from the 7th annual Gathering in Scotland, to the Brighton World Naked Bike Ride;
An update on our resurgent Women in Naturism campaign;
The revealing results of our recent survey of families in Naturism;
An overview of the work planned by our new Campaigns Task Force
Ideas for long-haul holidays - including destinations in the Caribbean, US and New Zealand
 
Of course, you’ll also find all the latest Naturist news, updates, articles and features, event and venue listings and plenty more besides.
BN221 is available for our members to download right now, and will soon be landing on the doormats of those who opt to receive it by post.
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?

The Great British Skinny Dip - a round up

The Great British Skinny Dip - a round up

'It’s the fourth time we’ve run our GBSD campaign, which looks beyond the confines of the usual Naturist scene in a bid to encourage the general public to discover the joys of nude swimming (and socialising!) and feel the health and well-being benefits that come with the decision not to wear clothes,’ writes Jon Attaway.
Making a splash with the GREAT BRITISH SKINNY DIP 2019 this year we chose to make our big GBSD splash in July, having previously run the nationwide programme of events in September. There were two key reasons for this. One was that we hoped we’d manage to coincide with the warmest of the summer weather, and the month certainly had its moments on that front.  An equally important consideration was for those first-time dippers we’re always aiming to attract with GBSD. After all, if you’ve just discovered the delights of social nudity for the first time, wouldn’t it be nice to then have the rest of the summer to make the most of your newfound enthusiasm?
While the timing changed, one thing that didn’t was the sheer variety of events we had going on around the country – both in terms of location and the experiences on offer. Dippers could brave everything from a chilly wild swim in the Lake District’s Beacon Tarn, via beaches, rivers, outdoor lidos, Naturist clubs, and campsites, to the more comfortable waters of their local swimming pool.
Encouragingly, we had some new venues and volunteers signing up to run their own skinny dips as part of GBSD. A particularly exciting example was Arundel Lido, which went ahead and organised it's first skinny dip having come across the campaign. Whereas most of the campaign’s skinny dips were instigated by BN members or held at existing Naturist sites, this was a case of a venue seizing the opportunity to organise something itself. Happily,
their adventurous spirit was handsomely rewarded, with around 80 people jumping in on a warm summer evening. Not only did the attendees have a great time, but the lido raised £800 towards its regeneration projects and attracted publicity from local press and radio. It was considered such a success that Arundel is holding another skinny dip event in September. Hopefully we’ll be seeing many more such events at this wonderful venue in future!
Arundel wasn’t the only lido joining in the fun, either, with a busy session at Peterborough Lido attracting around 50 dippers including several first-timers and BN members. This was an event hosted by BN’s Eastern region who hired the venue - though the good people at the Lido didn’t hesitate to add it to their own programme of summer events and inspire their regulars to bin the bikini or trash the trunks!
The GBSD swim at Bramcote, Nottingham was a first for hosts South Yorkshire Naturists. They usually run a monthly spa night at the venue but with 45 swimmers they are planning to build on their success and offer more swim nights in the coming year. They had many comments along the lines of, ‘We didn’t know there were any events in this area,’ and, ‘I only live round the corner’.  Another new venue was at Penketh pool, near Warrington, where TWO dips were hosted by BN - and successfully; more events have been announced.
A number of venues benefitted from local media interest, generated by press releases from British Naturism. And it helps after the event too - Wirralnats reported a larger than usual crowd at their Chester swim that followed a GBSD that had been featured by the media online and on radio. There were also regular bulletins and reminders sent to subscribers to the dedicated GBSD newsletter.
Another trend we’ve seen over the last few years is that of using a skinny dip as a fundraising event for various charities. For example, Diogenes Sun Club hosts an annual ‘Get Bare to Care’ open day, organised by local charity Rennie Grove who do much of the promotion, helping to raise funds for its local hospice in addition to welcoming new people to the joys of skinny dipping. Elsewhere, we were pleased to help support a dip at Bude in aid of MIND, the mental health charity. This took place in May, long before our own campaign and was timed to coincide with Mental Health Awareness Week. But as BN member Charis Brundle reported, “Everyone was in great spirits and we met many new people with their own reasons for being there who were quite interested in us as BN members, and recognised the health and well-being aspects they were experiencing through participating in the event. The local council provided ‘The Hub’ for registration and hot drinks, and the lifeguards and St John's Ambulance donated their time. The event raised just shy of £4,500 in fees and pledges: so a good cause was well-supported, and a little bit more was also done to mainstream Naturism.” Organiser Ruth said, “The event was a phenomenal success, thank you! I think a good estimate would be 150 swimmers on the day!”
That’s why The Great British Skinny Dip is so important – it’s about sharing the simple physical joy of ditching soggy swimming costumes, and of feeling close to the elements. If you’re a long-term Naturist, it’s easy to forget the visceral thrill of discovering social nudity. With GBSD, we’re helping to share that feeling with more and more people each year. 
With that in mind, it’s a shame that we didn’t have more established Naturist venues taking the opportunity to open their doors to a new audience – some of whom might end up becoming regulars, after all. Those clubs and swims that do invite the public in generally report a successful, positive experience. So if you haven’t before, why not consider taking part now?
While we could always do with more venues and events, there are a lot of successes to look back on for GBSD 2019. We had suggesting venues; we worked with a PR company to issue press releases that got some of our dips great media coverage.
The GBSD brand has captured the imagination of many venues and clubs who have continued to list their regular swims irrespective of when they take place. Could GBSD become an all-year-round initiative? As ever, we couldn’t have managed it without the generous offers of time and assistance from BN members too numerous to mention. That said, Ron O’Hare in the NW region is deserving of special praise, having personally organised or overseen 10 dips or so this year (reckon you can beat that next year Ron?!).
No matter how successful an initiative though, there’ll always be room to improve – and that’s why we’re now running the GBSD campaign again throughout the year. There’ll still be a focus in the summer, but we’ll be listing nude swims whenever they happen. Visit the website at greatbritishskinnydip.co.uk to find out how to list yours.

Women in Naturism - the relaunch

Women in Naturism - the relaunch

Encouraging more women into Naturism and BN
It is a fact that Naturism appeals more intuitively to men than women, though women are often more passionate about it and report a greater life-changing experience. Many women also state that they were introduced to Naturism by a husband or boyfriend and were hesitant, but now can't imagine life without it and believe it to be good for them and their children.  
In these enlightened days of the 21st Century, it’s disappointing to see that we women only make up 30% of BN membership. Mind you, that’s still 2,500 of us! I’m delighted to be one of them, Naturism has done wonders for my self-confidence and I enjoy being a part of this safe, welcoming, non- judgemental organisation. I know from speaking to the Naturist women that I meet that they feel the same. Many women are hung up on poor body image. It is difficult to persuade women (and men) that Naturists don’t see ‘the body’, they see the person. I feel that I want to help them discover the freedom and pleasure of simple nudity. They’d have a fantastic new social life too!
 Many of the men we meet at events on their own have a woman in their lives who refuses or is reluctant to join in and I’d like to help them find a way to encourage a change of heart. 
 I’ve recently agreed to help get BN’s Women in Naturism campaign off the ground again. There’s plenty we can do including organising specific gatherings for women, speaking about Naturism in the media, encouraging Naturist women to bring friends to events or clubs, and participating in women’s groups on- and offline to spread the word. It would also be great to see more women involved in BN’s management.
As a first step, I am hoping to create a national network of Naturist women, with the aim of putting them in touch with others in their own areas or areas that they may be visiting. Hopefully, between us, we can make a difference, not only to the number of women happily participating in Naturist events but also to the lives of women who haven’t (yet!) discovered how rewarding and relaxing social nudity can be!
Please do get in touch with me on the website members’ forum (log in required) by private message - I am ‘Donna Price’ - or email me on the address given below - and say hello.You won’t be press-ganged into any commitments, but I’d be interested in your thoughts and ideas, especially if you do want to become more involved in arranging social meets in your area.
Donna Price
donna.price@bn.org.uk

Campaigning: The Road to Freedom

Campaigning: The Road to Freedom

As the representative body of Naturism in the UK, British Naturism has a responsibility to promote and protect Naturism. Over the last few years there have been advances that affect our daily lives. The Crown Prosecution Service guidance that nudity is not itself criminal if there is no sexual content or intent has been reinforced by the work of Peter and Christine Wright to have the College of Policing recognise that a police response to Naturism is not necessary and that call centres should be advising callers of the legal position. However, these successes do not mean that campaigning for our rights is now “finished”.
 Those of us who participate in free hiking can testify that although nearly all public encounters are positive, a small handful of people still react negatively and aggressively. The media tells us that there are still police responses to some reports of a naked walker or cyclist. And the external threats to Naturist swims that we encountered earlier this year demonstrates that some people still worry about Naturism, simply due to misunderstanding the facts. Furthermore, there are challenges on the horizon.  The government plan to require age verification to view online pornography could have negative consequences for us if Naturism is mistakenly categorised as sexually motivated. Each of these challenges share a common feature: misunderstanding of the principles of Naturism.
In the British Naturism strategy put forward in 2018, we identified campaigning as one of the more important, if difficult, areas to advance. The above challenges reveal that we need to reassess our campaigns strategy. The law is on our side, problems arise when people don’t know the law or because they are surprised by Naturism because it is encountered so rarely.  We proposed that Campaigns needed to be rebranded as “Campaigns and Promotion” or “Campaigns and Information” to reflect how the nature of the challenges have evolved. A key component of the evolution is the need to review our strategy and avoid narrow approaches.
The Campaigns Task Force and Blue-Sky Aims
We have now begun assembling a Campaigns Task Force to explore both the needs and opportunities for action. The Task Force was given an open remit and adopted a blue-sky approach; first we would dream of where we would like to reach, then more specific objectives will crystallise over time. The shared vision so far is to achieve “Freedom of Choice in Dress”. Everybody in the British Isles should be allowed to dress however they wish - including the choice to wear nothing at all. Although this dream is ambitious, it is powerful. Opposition might push successfully against a campaign to allow nudity if it conflicts with their prejudices. It will be a bold opponent who will argue that citizens should not have Freedom of Choice.
Even at this early stage it is apparent that “Campaigns and Promotion” will include at least two essential strands. We need a political or “defensive” campaigning strand to maintain pressure on the government and councils to protect how Naturism is regarded by the law and those who administer it. We also need a promotional or “positive” strand to normalise Naturism in the public eye. The task force includes people with expertise in both strands and mixes long-standing British Naturism campaigners with people with fresh energy and ideas.
Positive Promotion
Familiarising the public with Naturism and inspiring participation requires persuasion rather than a combative approach. This is where the lines between our various activities begin to blur. Visible events are our strongest tool for persuading the public that Naturism is not just a respectable life, it is a great life. Media engagement puts Naturism very much in the public eye, people see that we are not a secretive cabal and venues see that we are trustworthy guests. Nudefest as the flagship summer event has attracted interest from local media for several years and even small, local events such as Rodin’s The Kiss at Christchurch Mansion near Ipswich have gained a lot of traction in the local press. However, Nudefest coverage kicked on this year by welcoming journalist Amy Nickell, who wrote a two-page feature for The Sun newspaper.  Given that the print version of The Sun reaches 10 million readers and the online version a further 30 million readers, positive media reports of our events have a much greater reach that we could ever achieve alone. The Nudefest publicity was not an isolated phenomenon, the Naked Rollercoaster World record was again picked up by national newspapers and reached millions, building the visibility and credibility of naked recreation.
Events do not just advertise Naturism; they provide opportunities for newcomers to try it themselves and then go on to tell their own friends.  Persuading people that Naturism is fun is an empty effort if there is nowhere to try it. A change we have started to see as our reputation has grown is that venues have started to recognise the value of the Naturist market. If venues arrange sessions themselves, we are freed from the responsibility of organisation, and the time involved. A notable success has been the swim at Wigton Baths, instigated by Ron O’Hare but run by the baths themselves. Ron is part of the Task Force, and hopes to see the template adopted across the country, expanding opportunities with little effort. A further target identified early on is the aim to broaden our appeal. Universities and students would be particularly good targets, if we can provide links for university groups to visit local events, we engage the people who will have influence in the years ahead. The two approaches support one-another well: more customers incentivise venues to run sessions, and more sessions provide greater opportunity to participate. The people we have on the Campaigns task Force should make this achievable.
Defending our Rights
While promotion has grown in priority, the need for political influence has not disappeared and there are areas where we need to actively defend our position.  The College of Policing guidelines should mean that genuine Naturists do not encounter problems with the police, but any top-level guideline takes a long time to filter through a system and needs to be pressed. Although it should not affect us, proposed requirements for age-verification on pornographic sites could have consequences; we do not know who chooses what constitutes pornography and we could be affected if we do not make it clear that Naturism is bound by family values and is not an adult-only lifestyle.
In addition to such threats there are some key opportunities. The government is preparing to consult on hate crime, both online and in person. The targeting of Naturists by vigilantes this spring was a form of hate crime, and we would want to claim protection from that type of attack. Nick Caunt on the Task Force has already started to engage in that consultancy to ensure that our voice is heard. For several years we have made it clear that Naturism is a philosophical belief and therefore should be protected from discrimination under the law. The claim has been endorsed by employment tribunals and was a key factor when requesting police engagement to protect our events from potential protests. Getting Naturism specifically recognised as a protected characteristic would remove any possible dispute and demonstrate that there is government backing of our position.
Further endorsement can be achieved through research into naturism to provide factual evidence that naturism not only does no harm, but has health benefits, especially in the areas of mental and social health. Our work with Dr Keon West has already built our academic credibility and led to promotional benefits such as the Naked Beach television series to encourage body positivity. Collaborations with other academic researchers are already emerging, the #NakedSocial experiment highlighted in the news section is just one new research project, with plenty more to come. Therefore, although this strand focusses on protecting our rights and is defensive, it is not negative and there are great opportunities here.
The Road Ahead
Although changing politics and broad perceptions can appear an intimidating, even impossible task, the good news is that we are not the first to walk this path.  On joining the Task Force, Jon Williams observed that where we stand now is where the LGBT+ community stood 30 years ago. At that time, same-sex couples would receive verbal abuse for holding hands in the street and employers would use constructive dismissal to dispose of staff of whom they did not approve. Sound familiar to Naturists?  Today, any such discrimination against LGBT+ individuals would feel the full weight of the law, meaning that change can be achieved and that we have a road map to follow. So, there is still a long way to go, but there are bright things on the horizon and we have a road to take us there.
Mark Bass
Vice-Chairman, British Naturism
Photo Credit : Paul Kirrage

Speaking to the Nation

Speaking to the Nation

Eighteen radio interviews in one day!
The BBC's General News Service picked up this story and decided it was worth covering. They promoted the idea to all BBC local and regional radio stations and for two solid hours we were interviewed, one by one, by a variety of presenters and shows - some recorded, some live on air. Later, a few more stations, including BBC Radio 5Live, who broadcast nationally, asked us to speak. 
It was a great platform for us to promote Naturism in the UK (which contrary to the news in the article is growing) and to show non-Naturists that we are normal people who have found something that enhances our lives. It will also have reinforced to those Naturists who feel there is no need for a national naturist organisation that these kind of promotional opportunities only come about because we're here!
Members can find a topic on the BN Members' Forum about the day which lists the stations covered and includes some of the links to listen to (log in required).

Thanks to our event sponsor...

Thanks to our event sponsor...

A shout out to Bare Necessities Tour and Travel, the world's leading providers of nude cruises, who are kindly sponsoring three big  British Naturism events this year - at Blackpool, Nudefest and Alton Towers - tickets now on sale for the latter!
We are very grateful for sponsorship support which allows us to add activities to the evens which otherwise may not be possible. 
Bare Necessities run three or four cruises each year and are currently taking bookings for:
Western Caribbean - ’The Big Nude Boat’ - 7 nights - 23rd February - 1 March 2020. 
Bali to Fiji - 17 nights - 20th May - 6 June 2020. 
Italy and Croatia - 14 nights - 1st August - 15th August 2020.
Southern Caribbean - ’The Big Nude Boat’ - 14 nights -1st February - 28th February 2021.
Find out more at Cruisenude.com
 
 

Jane's loving it...

Jane's loving it...

Following our media sessions at our recent flagship event Nudefest, BN member Jane (above right) featured in a great article in the Daily Star. Well done, Jane!
“To anyone out there considering naturism, especially single women, I implore you to just give it a try, as you won’t regret it." she says. We completely agree.
https://www.dailystar.co.uk/real-life/792649/Naturism-nudism-lifestyle-naked-midlife-crisis-Wales
 

How are you coping with the heatwave?

How are you coping with the heatwave?

This is an article that we published last year but we thought in view of the circumstances we'd bring it to you again! Two heatwaves in successive years in the UK? Aren't we lucky!
You know that temperatures are soaring over Britain when at least one national newspaper prints a picture of a young woman sunbathing in her bra and pants during her lunch hour, taking advantage of the weather and adapting to her circumstances.
Or perhaps she's using a modicum of common sense? When it's cold, it's intuitive - and socially acceptable - to keep putting on layers until you are warm enough. So, on days like today when it's sweltering and we are sweating in our clothes, feeling mighty uncomfortable, irritable and unable to concentrate, it should be equally acceptable to do the opposite; remove layers until you feel cool again. That probably means all layers, until all that protects you is your own skin. Surely it's not just Naturists that see the sense in that? 
Sadly, decades of social conditioning about what's 'right' or is 'appropriate behaviour' (and what's not) in our society possibly mean that the woman in the picture consciously kept her underwear on when it would have been more sensible to take it off too. We're all (broadly) the same underneath and yet we cling to small strips of fabric even when we don't need to for the sake of 'modesty'. The purpose of clothes is to keep us warm and dry, and you don't need either aspect during a heatwave. You may be reading this and thinking of the social status conferred by what we wear, but do you really need that artificial boost to the ego when you are relaxing in the sun? 
Naturism is also perfectly legal and we've also just published this article that shows how we've worked with the police to make the situation even clearer. Sunbathing naked in your garden is an easy way to start - and so what if the neighbours can see? How can anyone argue with your desire to cool off in the most sensible way?
There's plenty going on in Naturism in the UK and there's a lot more activity than just sunbathing. See our event calendar. Millions of people around the world have discovered the wonderful feeling that comes from spending time without clothes, come and join them. Nothing's better!
 
Photo by Jeremy Bishop on Unsplash
 

The British Naturism National Swimming Gala

The British Naturism National Swimming Gala

It’s great to announce that we had one of the busiest national galas in years take place at Aylestone Leisure Centre near Leicester. Around 60 swimmers took to the pool for an evening of both competitive an ‘have a go’ swimming. That’s the real attraction of the BN Gala. Nobody is expected to be the next Olympian and whilst it’s hard not to notice there are some are better swimmers than others - it’s about taking part, having fun and challenging yourself.
It’s all official - British Naturism are Members of Swim England and the gala is swum under international rules and under the watchful eye of no less than twelve referees and officials. In fact we had five Olympic referees at the gala this year! There is great team spirit and it really isn’t about just coming first, we had members who had never ever swam in a race in their lives – one guy had never even done a length before! As usual there were medals galore and loads of beaming smiles. There was a good representation of members too, across the majority of age categories – it would be lovely for future events to see more YBN and families attend but they were represented even if in the minority.
One of the benefits of competing in the gala is that it makes you eligible to put your name forward for Team GB, well, Naturist Team GB – who will be travelling to Paris in October to represent BN on the international stage (or starting blocks!) at the INF Gala. It’s an awesome thing to be able to say that you are in representing your country and heading overseas to a tournament. Well done to everyone who took part - see you in Paris!
 

My Skinny Dipping Year

My Skinny Dipping Year

‘I've always been one to strip off and jump into water, and have found myself more comfortable with the less I had to wear. Last Summer, more than any before, I found myself on a mission to swim naked in the sea as often, and for as long as into the year, as possible,’ says Ged Deignan
It really became a thing with the onset of the long, glorious, hot summer we experienced. I had been able to swim for most of the summer. A friend had joined me on holiday in Essex, and at midnight on the first night we walked along the shore at Frinton-on-Sea, up past the higgledy piggledy village of small white holiday huts, and on up the ‘Naze’, as locals called it. It was a warm moonlit night and we found ourselves on a deserted stretch of beach, with no buildings or any sign of life in sight. Although not strictly a Naturist spot, the gently folding waves upon the pebbled beach, were calling to us. We soon found ourselves stripped off in sea water that held the warmth from the intense summer sun. The feeling of being one with nature was magnified under the spotlight of a full moon. We spent a long time in the water, swimming back and forth, talking about life the universe and everything. It was like dancing a gentle waltz with nature.
The actual naturist beach is further along the coast from there, south of Clacton-on-Sea at St. Osyth. It is a shingle beach with sand-dunes and beyond that marshland, rich with wildlife. The far end of the beach is fenced off by a Nature Reserve. It can be accessed from a nearby holiday park, and then a long walk along the shingle beach, which can be hard going after a while. Alternatively, follow the seawall along, and as the tarmac path is replaced by sand, cut across the dunes which will take you out near the start of the naturist section. We spent most of the holiday swimming there.
I've been back a few more times since, whilst working in the area. One stormy day in Clacton, I had decided that after work I would just drive home to Southampton, without going for a swim. After all, the sea would be just too rough. When it came time to leave, the storm was blowing itself out and the rain had stopped. I thought I'd see what it was like on the beach one last time. As I had expected and hoped for, it was completely deserted. The sea was still very rough, the wind was blowing a gale, yet still it was warm and not unpleasant. As a swim was out of the question, I settled for a brisk walk. I stripped off, and headed for the waters edge and then along the shore. With the angry, white waves grabbing at my ankles, the wind blowing me about, the energy needed to move forward whilst completely naked, was not something I'd experienced before, and I found very invigorating.
Eastney beach in Portsmouth is not the most pretty to look at. Although there is a splendid view out across the water towards the Isle of Wight, the beach itself is overlooked by a decaying abandoned military installation. This does not take away from its popularity with the local naturist population - I found it to be more crowded through the summer than the rest of the long curving beach down to the south pier.
So for a quieter time, I headed towards Hill Head and Meon beach, south of Titchfield. This long stretch of beautiful coastline, sits at the foot of tall eroding cliffs. Here I soon got to know the regular naturist folk, who had their own spots dotted along the shore. One lady known to everyone who frequents the beach, was kind enough to invite me to join her social network of naturists.
As an ex-competitive swimmer herself, she sometimes seemed disappointed at my lack of stamina in the water. My amateur status was also shown by my tendency to just run into the sea and start swimming. I was quickly pulled up for this, and told the correct procedure was to enter the water slowly, then to just stay still, allowing the body to acclimatise, before using my muscles.  
I am an author and my idea of finding somewhere to write, was only partially achieved. Little writing was done, as we spent long hours in interesting and varied conversations, in between bursts of swimming in the sea. It is ironic that most of the writing was done at the noisier, busier, Eastney beach. As the summer gave way to autumn, the swims became weekly at best, but I was pleased to still be in the sea through October and into November. 
To see me through the winter, I joined a couple of clubs, the Halcyon and Barton naturist swims. I’ve met some great people and enlarged still further my network of naturist friends. The weather now being against me, I was happy to keep up the exercise that I had become accustomed to, indoors.
My friend with whom I enjoyed the midnight swim in Essex, invited me to join her on a short break and walking holiday in Cornwall.  We arrived in the little picturesque fishing village of Polperro at night, in the middle of a raging storm. Although the weather was still blustery, the next day we were able to follow the little acorn symbols that indicated the coastal path. From a cliff top just outside the entrance to the cove, we looked down upon a large rock pool, that the locals described as being a popular natural swimming pool. I immediately wanted to strip off and go in.  At first, the way down was not obvious, but we then came across a stairway that had been carved out of the rock itself, clearly many, many years ago. This haphazard descent was broken with a landing, half way down the cliff face. Here we met a couple of people, stood taking in the spectacular view. Having joined them in conversation for a while, I grew impatient, and so announced my intention to strip off and go into the pool. I carefully made my way down and picked a pathway across the rocks to the pool. The advice I had been given about how to enter cold water, and about staying still, came to mind. And so I entered. Then came straight back out again. It was cold, as in really cold! Nature did not feel so friendly, and was a reminder of the total respect that she deserves. I turned and tried again. This time It didn’t feel so cold as my body had begun to acclimatise, and I was able to go right in. I spent some time in the pool swimming back and forth, I climbed out on the seaward side, and explored the rocks that were out of sight from the cliff path. The November sun was still strong enough for this to be a pleasant experience, and at times I felt too warm more than anything.
And so my year was complete. Just one more date I had an eye on, and that was New Years day. Having set a new record for how cold I can go, I was confident that I would be able to do this. I posted a message on the BN forum, inviting people to join me for a New Years swim in Portsmouth. I received a few kind messages of support, and one other person turned up on the day. Being on January the 1st, I’ve now started a whole new Skinny Dipping Year…
Photo Credit : Mat Trescowthick

Is it legal to sunbathe naked in my garden?

Is it legal to sunbathe naked in my garden?

In short - yes!
Whenever we see the sunshine for more than a few days in the summer, this question is posed across the media and it’s a bit annoying to Naturists that there is even the need to ask.
The Sexual Offences Act 2003 was carefully worded to exclude Naturism - it is perfectly ok to take your clothes off to enjoy the sun and the breeze on your skin, or the life-affirming feeling of swimming without a costume. However, if you do so because you have the intention of causing ‘alarm and distress’ then it could be a criminal offence though the onus is on the onlooker to prove the intent. Despite what many newspapers often say, merely being ‘offended’ is not enough to warrant a call to the authorities. Let’s face it, in this Mrs Grundy society, they’d be inundated! 
It follows that nudity is permissible in all public places…and how could it not be? It’s our natural state. It’s only social conditioning that tells us that certain parts of our body are - choose your own adjective: shameful, disgusting, sexual, offensive, ridiculous - and must therefore be hidden away. The harmful growth in poor body image and almost obsessive focus on appearance as the only measure of a person’s worth is entirely because we’ve suppressed normal bodies so much that no-one knows what normal is anymore and the only indicator of how to be is the airbrushed celebrity. Sadly, the same conditioning has led people to conclude that a nude person, especially a man, must be up to no good. No-one, ever, children included, has been harmed by the sight of a naked person.
We’re aware of the sensitivities though. Many people never think to challenge what their parents and teachers taught them when they were very young. That social conditioning, the stigma and taboos are thus ingrained and it takes a lot to change attitudes. Whilst it’s perfectly legal, Naturists will rarely be nude in very public places, it’s too easily misunderstood, or treated with suspicion, and it only takes one member of the public to make a fuss and the damage is done. Until recently, event the Police hadn’t quite grasped the legal situation but in 2017, British Naturism worked with them to make sure every police officer understands.
Being neighbourly is desirable and so Naturists sunbathing in their back garden will probably choose a spot that isn’t too overlooked and will often speak to neighbours who can see into their garden to advise them they may catch a glimpse of naked flesh. Anecdotal evidence and long experience shows that most neighbours couldn’t care less. It’s also not uncommon for them to say ‘Great! We do that too!’ Wearing clothes of any description during this hot weather has been uncomfortable and stripping down to nothing (whatever your mother might say) is sensible and not at all provocative. 
So, go ahead. Strip off. Enjoy the sun and the exhilarating feeling of being naked.
Find more information at http://www.bn.org.uk/policing

The best Nudefest ever?

The best Nudefest ever?

It's our last full day today at the UK's biggest Naturist festival. Around 500 guests have enjoyed a packed programme of activities including sports, health and well-being, art and crafts, music and entertainment, talks and workshops, naked trips to local venues including a cider farm, a steam train, dining in a pub and a house and garden. 
We've been welcomed by the local community with many companies and people coming in to run sessions. BBC Radio Somerset's Andy Bennett even broadcast his show from here!
Look out for a full report - and booking details for 2020...

GBSD success at Arundel Lido

GBSD success at Arundel Lido

It was great night out at Arundel Lido for their first Great British Skinny Dip event. The management opted to run their own event and it was the first time a nude event had taken place at the West Sussex open air pool which opens between May and September each summer.  The event was attended by around 80 people - and £800 was raised towards new changing huts and Project Leap. 
There is a real interest in running another skinny dip - so watch this space for details!

Relaxing with friends old and new at the South West Rally

Relaxing with friends old and new at the South West Rally

Members from all points of the South West region gathered at Lower Poulza Post naturist camping and caravan site, situated on a working farm, near Bude in Cornwall over the weekend for the annual Rally. With lovely weather a bonus, the weekend started with smiles and high expectations of a relaxed and friendly couple of days, and from the beginning to the end that’s what you got.  We gathered on the Friday evening for a glass of bubbly around the campfire and new friendships were soon made or friends reunited.
Saturday was a glorious day and after a very relaxed morning and Cornish Pasties for lunch, some just laid in the sun all afternoon while others with a  competitive edge enjoyed a couple of hours playing Boules before the communal BathBQ in the evening. Perhaps the only BBQ to feature a full size bath in the region, if not the UK, was soon glowing and ready for use with many taking the advantage of cooking the farm's own sausages, burgers and pork chops.
After the glorious sun of the last two days, Sunday was a little disappointing, but with a Cornish Cream Tea planned for mid morning the pending rain obliged holding off until exactly 12 Noon, then rain arrived sending everyone scurrying for cover.  With dark skies and a good Cornish Mizzle set in for the afternoon, almost everyone made a quick pack and headed for home a little sooner than hoped.
Plans are already being made for next year so put 19-21 June 2020 in your diary.
Graham Holland

Cap'n Barefoot and the Greek Islands

Cap'n Barefoot and the Greek Islands

BN’s International Officer, Edwin Kilby talks about the story behind his alter-ego…
I first heard about Naturism in the Greek Islands sometime in the early 1980s.   It was completely beyond my experience at the time, but my interest was piqued – both in the Islands and in Naturism.  A while afterwards I joined a Naturist club in Bricket Wood.
It was some years before I had a chance to try naturism in Greece.  During a memorable holiday on Skopelos with my (then relatively new) partner Judith, we headed off to the busy, textile, Stafilos Beach. I had done my homework and marched my unsuspecting and protesting companion the length of the shoreline towards the path to the next beach, Velanio.  As I expected, practically everyone on Velanio was nude.  I wasn’t sure how Judith would react, but I needn’t have worried; she was out of her clothes before me.  We spent much of the rest of that all-too-short holiday there.
Velanio is a lovely beach of fine shingle (okay to walk on barefoot) and the sea is beautifully clear.  It’s been a good few years since we last visited, but reports say it’s still well-used by naturists and has been designated by the municipal authority as the island’s official naturist beach. 
We love the islands and have been back many times.  In 1996 I decided to start collecting information about naturist beaches in Greece and publish it on a website called Cap’n Barefoot’s Naturist Guide to the Greek Islands (www.barefoot.info), which is still online today.  I invited people to email beach reports for the site.  This proved much more popular than I had foreseen, and I quickly got badly behind with updates.  In the end I created a linked website – www.capnbarefoot.info – in the form of a “wiki” which anyone can edit, a little like Wikipedia.  That works a lot better for me, and volunteer administrators help keep the site tidy.  It still includes a lot of very old information, though.  If you’re interested in helping edit the site, please get in touch! 
Sadly, Cap’n Barefoot has seen numerous famous once-nude beaches become lost to the textile hordes.  I think of Banana beach on Skiathos, and its neighbour Little Banana, a firm favourite among British-based nudists, which was recently taken over by a hotel complex. Mykonos was once one of the nudest islands in the Cyclades is now (in my experience) an overcrowded and overpriced tourist trap where it’s hard to find anywhere to enjoy naturism peacefully. 
The situation is better on many of the other islands, although it can vary according to season.  To have the best chance of being able to enjoy nude sunning and swimming it’s advisable to travel out of peak season.  June and September are delightful months to visit Greece, and the season can extend into October too. 
Here’s a short, wholly subjective, list of some of my other favourite Greek beaches.  You will find lots more on Cap’n Barefoot – just remember to scroll to the bottom of each entry and look for the latest reports.
Lageri, on Paros – near Naoussa.  A lovely long strip of sand, well-established as a nudist beach.
The Official Nudist Beach on Antiparos.  Just 10 minutes’ walk from the main quay, it’s a piece of sandy land that projects into a narrow channel. The proportion of Naturists does vary. It’s possible to swim or wade across to the small islands of Diplo and Kavouras and enjoy a nude walk – but do take flip-flops and a hat. 
Plaka beach on Naxos.  Served by buses from the main town.  A long sandy beach well-used by naturists, though the dividing line seems to move south every year.
Kendros beach on Donoussa – attracts free campers as well as swimmers – a mix of textile and nude.  The journey from Naxos Town to tiny Donoussa on the “legendary” (according to TripAdvisor) Express Skopelitis ferry can be … interesting.
Plakias Bay beach in southern Crete – The eastern end of the stunningly scenic sandy beach is firmly naturist.  Southern Crete is well supplied with naturist beaches and is a good bet for a multi-centre holiday.
 
This article originally appeared in BN Magazine. Each issue of our magazine, issued to members quarterly as part of their subscription, features first person holiday reports, beach updates, and travel information for Naturists. We even have our own team of Holiday Advisers who will answer your specific questions and help you have the best time when you are away. Find out more about all the reasons to be a member of British Naturism
 

Starts today…The Great British Skinny Dip 2019!

Starts today…The Great British Skinny Dip 2019!

The Great British Skinny Dip returns to the UK today, and we've got venues across the country throughout the month of July. Where will you go?
Choose from beaches, lakes, rivers, pools, outdoor lidos, Naturist clubs, and campsites, in:
 
Aberdeenshire
Buckinghamshire
Cambridgeshire
Cheshire
Cumbria
Dorset
Durham
East Lothian
East Sussex
Glamorgan
Gwynedd
Hertfordshire
Norfolk
Nottinghamshire
Oxfordshire
Somerset
Suffolk
West Sussex
Yorkshire
 
Discover all these locations on our website and keep checking back - we’re still adding new ones!

Naked Bowling at Tunbridge Wells

Naked Bowling at Tunbridge Wells

I am a great believer in naturists not being excluded from the sorts of activities that clothed people regularly do simply because of their choice of dress. As I regularly used to visit the ten-pin bowling facility at Tunbridge Wells when I lived there, I decided that this might be a “normal” activity that naturists could do. Of course looking up the website gives you all sorts of centralised telephone numbers, email addresses and so on which proved absolutely no good – “I will be passing on your request and you will hear within 72 hours…..” etc., etc. So, after several unsuccessful attempts at communicating with a real human  I decided that a personal approach to the centre I would want to use was best. So I made a special trip to Tunbridge Wells and approached the under-manager there with some trepidation when the “special” nature of our group visit needed to be raised ! To my amazement the venue was delighted to have been asked – this would be a great “first” for us. From that point on negotiations went smoothly. A date was arranged, prices and other details discussed and so on. BN agreed to take on the ticketing and we were away out of the starting blocks.
On the night I have to say we were treated royally. Nothing was too much trouble. Drinks were brought to us, piles of food were placed within arm’s reach and the welcoming team of five couldn’t have been more accommodating. Over 40 naturists arrived for the bowling and, after some initial hesitation, understandable as relatively few people knew each other from previous meetings, within a few minutes people were chatting happily (as naturists of course do) as if they had known each other for years. They organised themselves into lanes and amidst all the chatter and food actually found it quite difficult to complete the two games allowed before the end of the evening ! One lovely touch was when it was announced that every so often a pink skittle would appear among the normally white skittles in each of the bowling lanes. If someone managed a “strike” (getting all the skittles down in one go) that lane would be awarded a bottle of Prosecco to share. Amazingly three teams achieved this and huge ear-splitting cheers went up as they did so!
It was a really fun evening on what had been a cold and wet June day. I was so very grateful to BN for taking on the publicity and ticketing arrangements and indeed to all who participated, often coming from many miles away to take part and who showed the staff at the centre that naturists truly are ordinary folk who just like to have a good time without the encumbrance of clothing. The staff seemed impressed by us and will be happy to host again and to act as “referees” to other venues within the company. That is just the sort of message we need to get out to the general public. Thank you to everyone !
Keith Hillier-Palmer.