Naturists from all over Europe will be competing in Rugby in November in the annual INF Swimming Gala. The event takes place over the weekend of 6-8 November at Ken Marriott Leisure Centre, Bruce Williams Way, Rugby, Warwickshire, CV22 5LJ, with swimmers staying at the Britannia Hotel, Coventry.


Team GB, with competitors ranging in age from 10 to 60-plus, has been selected from the swimmers at our national gala held earlier this year and will be competing against 7 other teams from France, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Spain and Italy.


The mixed-gender teams will arrive on Friday and after a social event in the evening will spend all day at the pool on Saturday competing in individual and relay races. Races will be judged by officials from the Amateur Swimming Association (ASA). Saturday evening will see the Awards Dinner, where the winners will receive their medals and cups, and dancing into the night.


Crowned Kings (and Queens) of Europe at the International Naturist Pétanque competition held in Germany in August, having won both the prizes available at that tournament, the team from the UK are hoping to make it a full set for 2009 at the Swimming Gala.


British Naturism’s Sports Officer, Jim Russell, said:
“We’re delighted to be hosting the International Swimming Gala once again and are looking forward to a hard-fought, yet fun competition. To be representing Great Britain at an international sporting event is something to be proud of and beyond the reach of all but a few UK citizens. It’s also a great way to show our connections with the wider naturist world and a chance to meet naturists from overseas and show them the best that the UK has to offer. Participating naked in sporting activities – especially swimming - is the most sensible and efficient way to do it. It also eradicates unfair advantages based solely on the clothing chosen.


Find out more about naturist sports


Press attendance
Want to really find out what’s it like at a naturist event? Want to report on an International sporting tournament in the UK? There are limited places available for the Press and other Media to attend. You will be able to spend time with us, chatting to organisers and competitors Details on request – in advance of the event please.



Contacts:
BN Commercial Manager:
Andrew Welch
01753 481527
07774 955138
commercial.manager@british-naturism.org.uk

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 celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2004, although its predecessors have been 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 – simply being naked in a public place is not against the law. 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 12 “officially designated” naturist beaches, with many others used regularly by naturists. Membership of BN is around 11,500 people with many more being members of clubs affiliated to BN. The calendar of naturist events – not all run by British Naturism – has been packed for 2009. There are also thousands of UK naturists who enjoy holidays and beaches in the UK and abroad without being members of recognised naturist organisations.


· YBN (Young British Naturists) has a membership of young men and women between the ages of 16 and 30 who get together at clubs and beaches many weekends. They represented the UK at the International Naturist Federation (INF) Youth Rally held in Italy in 2009, following Holland in 2008 and hosted the Rally themselves in the UK in May 2007 – see our YBN pages for details.


· 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. See FAQs about naturism.


· It is a fallacy to believe that naked children are any more at risk of abuse in a naturist environment. In addition, 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 , a code of practice, and have a Child Safeguarding sub-committee that meets regularly and runs workshops on the subject, sometimes to groups from outside the naturist world.


· For more information on British Naturism, please visit our website at
www.british-naturism.org.uk/. For the media, there is a dedicated “Media Centre” at
www.british-naturism.org.uk/mediacentre/, which contains useful information for those wishing to write about naturism or to feature this wonderful world in their publications or programmes, including a downloadable Media Information Pack. There is also a contact page, to ensure that any enquiries are directed to the right person and gain an appropriate and speedy reply.