Welcome!
So you’ve taken the plunge and signed up to the Great British Skinny Dip 2021 - Congratulations! This kit will help you get organised and excited about making a splash at your own event or at one of the many organised dips taking place across the UK whilst raising funds for a fantastic cause!
EVENT CHECK LIST
BEFORE YOUR EVENT
1. Choose a venue, date and time - private or public location - it’s up to you! If you’re holding an event in a public place, you must get permission first, either from the local authority or property owner.
2. Create a Just Giving page linked to our Great British Skinny Dip event.
3. Register your event on the Great British Skinny Dip website.
4. Invite your friends along and get promoting using the resources available to you in this pack.
5. Complete our Health and Safety Guide.
AT THE EVENT
1. If you plan to take photos of other people at your event, please make sure all attendees are aware and are happy for this to happen.
2. Ensure your Health and Safety Guidance is followed.
AFTER YOUR EVENT
1. Thank everyone who participated or donated! Refer to your Just Giving page for any last minute donations.
2. Share your grand total raised for the BHF with any photos (providing you have permission from participants) using the hashtag #GreatBritishSkinnyDip and tag@British_Naturism 3. Organise another one!
health & safety guide
It’s is really important that the health and the safety of our supporters is priority. This means planning ahead and being responsible.
COVID-19
Please make sure that you refer to latest government guidance on Covid-19 for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Island to help plan a successful and perfectly safe Great British Skinny Dip.
HEALTH & SAFETY
Please help to keep supporters safe by thinking ahead and completing the following actions:
RISK ASSESSMENT
It is important for you to complete a risk assessment for your event. We have drafted a Risk Assessment Template for you to work through to help you think of all the risk associated with your event and how you can be prepared for them.
FIRST AID
For events that involve other people, please ensure you have at least one trained First Aider attending, for larger events please organise more. Get advice from St John Abulance or the British Red Cross.
INSURANCE
If you have registered your Great British Skinny Dip with British Naturism through our Great British Skinny Dip website, please check that you are covered by British Naturism’s Public Liability by contacting our team on skinnydip@thegreatbritishskinnydip.co.uk
PRIVACY - DATA PROTECTION
We take our members privacy very seriously. Please, only collect information that you need for your event, keep it safe, do not share it and only keep it as long as you need it. To find out about our Data Protection Policy, please visit the BN site. If you have any queries, just contact us. UNDER 18'S If you’re aged under 18 you must be accompanied by a responsible adult and have your parent or guardian's permission to take part and/or fundraise. Unaccompanied children are not permitted in Naturist places and the BN have a robust Child Safeguarding Policy in Place.
KEEPING IT LEGAL
Your Great British Skinny Dip should be fun, but it’s important that everything is safe and legal, for everyone involved.
Being naked is totally normal, acceptable and….legal!
Whether you wish to don your birthday suit in your garden, out for a walk or whilst splashing about for a Great British Skinny Dip; providing there’s no sexual element or disorderly behaviour, you are free to express your beautiful self as you wish. Fact.
At British Naturism, we have a philosophical belief in a natural naked lifestyle. There is nothing untoward about wishing to embrace your body as you go about your daily business. So go forth and be free.
The police distinguish between “passive behaviour” and “disorderly”, “sexual” or “disturbed” behaviour. Just being naked is “passive” – and it’s totally legal!
Does it matter if I’m on public or private land?
No - as long as you are behaving “passively” while you’re naked, knock your socks off and relax!
What classes as “passive” behaviour?
Sunbathing, walking, cycling, swimming, gardening, home maintenance… any of the above and more. You’re simply enjoying your life the naked way. No drama to be seen here.
What counts as “disorderly” or “sexual” behaviour?
If you deliberately go about flaunting yourself in order to alarm or distress other people, or conduct outrageous or public sex acts, the police will be after you. And quite right too. We’re naturists, not flashers!
Many naturists avoid going naked where they can be seen by members of the public, especially near schools and playgrounds. Although there’s nothing illegal about it, it can cause misunderstandings. The best advice is to use your common sense.
What do I do if someone complains about me being naked?
Politely tell them that it is perfectly legal to be naked and continue to go about your business.
If they call the police, they will be asked three main things:
Is the naked person exhibiting sexual behaviour?
Is the naked person being disorderly?
Is the naked person of poor mental health (showing signs of mental illness or under the influence of drink / drugs?)
Whether you are on private or public land, providing the answer is “No” to all of the above, they will be told that no police action is required and they should go about their own business. Simple.
If you’d like a little reassurance with the legalities, visit our British Naturism Policing Page.
CONTACT US
If you have anymore questions about the Great British Skinny Dip, British Naturism or organising your event - please contact us.
Email: skinnydip@thegreatbritishskinnydip.co.uk
Tel: 01604 620361
FUNDRAISE
TIPS FOR FUNDRAISING
SET YOURSELF A TARGET
You are more likely to raise a fantastic amount for charity if you and your supporters have something to aim for. Research shows that having a fundraising target can increase donations by nearly 50%!
SHOUT LOUD AND PROUD!
Don’t be shy about taking the plunge for charity! Every update you share with your supporters will encourage them to dig deep into their pockets for a great cause!
GIFT AID
UK taxpayers can add Gift Aid to their donation - adding an additional 25% to the amount your charity receives at no cost to the donor! WIN. WIN!
ADD OFFLINE FUNDS
Don't forget to add the amount of money you've raised offline to your JustGiving page and pay this in accordingly. This will ensure your fundraising journey is accurate as you get closer to hitting your fundraising target!
SAY A BIG THANK YOU!
This is very important as it makes your supporters feel valued and they are more likely to support you again in the future. JustGiving will automatically send a thank you email to anyone who donates through their platform, but a personal message from you will be much more impactful and gives you an opportunity to share how great you feel about being naked!
paying in
DIGITAL PAYMENT: SET UP YOUR JUST GIVING PAGE
These days, people find it easier to donate quickly & seamlessly by doing it digitally.
To do this, we suggest using Just Giving.
Setting up a personal Just Giving Page for your Great British Skinny Dip takes just a few minutes & provides an easy resource to shout about your event and raise funds for a great cause. It also makes sure all funds raised through your efforts are paid directly to our chosen charity (whilst crediting you and the Great British Skinny Dip) - no fuss or banking slips required!
To setup a Just Giving Page:
1. Create a Just Giving account with basic personal details.
2. Set up a fundraising page and personalise it with your story and some photos.
3. Download our Great British Skinny Dip filters & social resources
4. Start sharing the link with your family and friends and collecting funds!
BANK PAYMENT
If you would rather pay by bank transfer, please contact us to discuss:
SHOUT!
PRESS RELEASE TEMPLATE
USE THIS TEMPLATE TO WRITE YOUR OWN PRESS RELEASE AND SEND TO LOCAL MEDIA
PRESS RELEASE
DATE: (Insert date)
The Great British Skinny Dip is coming to [Insert your area / venue] as [man/woman/business/group] takes the plunge for British Heart Foundation!
A local [woman/man/business] from [insert your area] will be celebrating the benefits of baring all and joining the fight against heart & circulatory disease by [holding a / taking part in the] Great British Skinny Dip later this month!
[Insert name], [insert age], will be [details of the event] on [insert time/date if relevant] to help raise vital funds for the British Heart Foundation.
People across [insert area] are being invited to come along and enjoy [insert details of what they can expect on the day]. The event is being held because [insert reason e.g. to try something different, in memory of a loved one/a friend or relative].
[Insert your name] said; “[We are/ I am] excited to be taking part in the Great British Skinny Dip because [insert reason why you want to take part in the Great British Skinny Dip and fundraise for the BHF e.g. the Great British Skinny Dip s a really fun & novel way to get involved with British Naturism or try out something new whilst raising funds for a great cause!”.
To sponsor [insert your name] visit [insert a fundraising link to your JustGiving account]
The Great British Skinny Dip is a campaign by British Naturism (BN) aimed at:
Encouraging acceptance and participation in Naturism
Promoting greater understanding of Naturism and social nudity
Improving facilities and opportunities for Naturism
Promoting body confidence and well-being
Raise funds for the British Heart Foundation
In Summer 2021, thousands of people across the UK will be skinny dipping to raise money for British Heart Foundation and experiencing the exhilaration of being naked. They will improve their mental and physical health and wellbeing, body confidence and reduce their stress. They’ll also have great fun!
Participation in Naturism is on the rise, with BN reporting significant increases in new members since the 2020 lockdown.
Andrew Welch, national spokesman for British Naturism said: “Naturism as a lifestyle has been linked to many health benefits including stress relief, body confidence, mental health, wellbeing and not forgetting the pure enjoyment and sense of liberation! Yet, this simple antidote to the stresses of modern life has been around since humans were created - and shouldn’t need to be restricted to secret places or experience shame! The Great British Skinny Dip offers the opportunity for people to get involved in a fun way whilst raising funds for a fantastic national charity - the British Heart Foundation.”
Heart and circulatory diseases touch every one of us in some way. From heart attacks to strokes, cardiac arrest to type 2 diabetes, these diseases are responsible for 1 in 4 deaths in the UK every year. Many people suffer heartbreak from losing loved ones to these diseases and others are living with them every day.
ABOUT THE BHF
One in four of us in the UK and one in three globally die from heart and circulatory diseases. That’s why the British Heart Foundation funds world‐leading research into their causes, prevention, treatment and cure. Advances from our research have saved and improved millions of lives, but heart diseases, stroke, vascular dementia and their risk factors such as diabetes still cause heartbreak on every street. With the public’s support, our funding will drive the new discoveries to end that heartbreak. Find out more at bhf.org.uk
FAQS
NOBODY WANTS TO SEE ME NAKED!
Actually, no one is looking at your body; in fact, newbies tend to avoid looking as if their lives depend on it! It is about YOU as a person, which is not defined by what you look like, because that’s the point! Being naked with others is one of the best ways to become more confident! Nakedness is nothing to be ashamed of and is in the truest sense natural.
IS IT LEGAL?
Being naked is totally normal, acceptable and….legal! Whether you wish to wear your birthday suit in your garden, out for a walk or whilst splashing about for a Great British Skinny Dip, providing that you have no intention to cause alarm and distress, you are free to express your beautiful self as you wish. The law is on your side. British Naturism have worked extensively with the College of Policing to make sure that the police are very aware of the law around Naturism.
BODY CONSCIOUS?
Being nude with others is not embarrassing. First-timers often remark how quickly they feel comfortable wearing nothing and seeing others unclothed – in fact, it’s easy to forget that everyone is naked. You’ll find all shapes and sizes - every body is normal! And just because people are naked, it doesn’t make for a sexually-charged atmosphere either.
ABOUT BRITISH NATURISM
British Naturism (BN) is the internationally recognised UK national Naturist organisation.
We exist to unite and support Naturists, to protect, and provide more Naturist venues, to make social nudity acceptable in the UK and to provide comprehensive information on Naturism and Naturists around the world.
We run events in brilliant locations including online; help new groups and Naturist venues to get off the ground; liaise with (and challenge!) government and other authorities; overcome misunderstanding, prejudice and discrimination about simple human nudity; and provide a point of contact for information and advice.
We also shout loudly about how being naked is wonderful, exhilarating and great fun!
JOIN US!
SO, WANT TO JOIN US?
For less than £4 a month, you can become part of the most active, vibrant and meaningful Naturist community in the UK. You'll get lots in return, including:
A Welcome Gift Pack sent with your membership card, including a booklet on BN and Naturism (see picture), two recent copies of BN Magazine and a car sticker.
Four issues of our full colour, fully-illustrated, information-packed magazine with news and views from the UK and overseas delivered to your door.
Access to our vibrant online community, where there's discussion, Q&A, information, chat, blogs, downloads, and image galleries Members' only events and group holidays, other gatherings with discounts on entry prices.
A photo ID/membership card – proven to be useful in establishing your credentials with Authority figures, especially in times of trouble. • The BN Holiday advice service where a team of experts will help you to plan your holiday, suggesting locations, providing information, and bringing you up to speed with what to expect, in and out of the resort.
An International Naturist Federation (INF) card - essential for access to some overseas Naturist places, and discounts in others.
BECOME A MEMBER NOW: WWW.BN.ORG.UK/MEMBERSHIPINFO