A naturist who enjoys going naked rambling with her husband insists it's a 'liberating' experience and members of the public they encounter are 'encouraging'. Donna Price, 55, of Spilsby, Lincolnshire, told how she and John, 70, enjoy the feeling of being 'truly at one' with nature. The couple discovered naturism on holiday in New Zealand in 2010 when they came across a naked beach.
Speaking to Emma Barnett on BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour via Zoom wearing only her flip flops, Donna - a volunteer for British Naturism and head of the Women in Naturism campaign - said the majority of responses they receive from fellow walkers are 'actually very encouraging'.
You've got to be comfortable in your own skin so you do it at home, you know, in your own garden maybe if you can. Get comfortable with yourself, actually start to feel that being naked feels normal, which to me it does.' Although Donna is a self-confessed fair weather naked walker, she shared a photo of herself in the buff on New Year's Eve on her Twitter account Naked Freestyler, braving the cold for a shot beside the full moon. Under Section 66 of Sexual Offences Act 2003, being naked in public is not a criminal offence in England and Wales. However, an individual could be arrested if it is proved they did it with the intent to shock or cause distress. Since lockdown began last year, British Naturism has seen a 300 per cent rise in new membership sign-ups, according to its spokesperson Andrew Welch.
She added: 'We’ve been doing all sorts during lockdown – yoga sessions, coffee mornings, cooking classes, life-drawing, discussion panels and evening drinks – all virtual and all naked.'It’s really brought a community together. In a time where none of us could go out into the real world, it’s helped us to stay connected.'
The couple are such converts that they say they now feel uncomfortable when they wear clothes. As a result, Donna only irons every three to four weeks and rarely needs to do a big wash.Donna admitted there is still a stigma surrounding naturism which is why British Naturism is running a campaign called Just One Person, which is about speaking to people outside the community and enlightening them to what it is all about.
Speaking to Emma Barnett on BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour via Zoom wearing only her flip flops, Donna - a volunteer for British Naturism and head of the Women in Naturism campaign - said the majority of responses they receive from fellow walkers are 'actually very encouraging'.
You've got to be comfortable in your own skin so you do it at home, you know, in your own garden maybe if you can. Get comfortable with yourself, actually start to feel that being naked feels normal, which to me it does.' Although Donna is a self-confessed fair weather naked walker, she shared a photo of herself in the buff on New Year's Eve on her Twitter account Naked Freestyler, braving the cold for a shot beside the full moon. Under Section 66 of Sexual Offences Act 2003, being naked in public is not a criminal offence in England and Wales. However, an individual could be arrested if it is proved they did it with the intent to shock or cause distress. Since lockdown began last year, British Naturism has seen a 300 per cent rise in new membership sign-ups, according to its spokesperson Andrew Welch.
She added: 'We’ve been doing all sorts during lockdown – yoga sessions, coffee mornings, cooking classes, life-drawing, discussion panels and evening drinks – all virtual and all naked.'It’s really brought a community together. In a time where none of us could go out into the real world, it’s helped us to stay connected.'
The couple are such converts that they say they now feel uncomfortable when they wear clothes. As a result, Donna only irons every three to four weeks and rarely needs to do a big wash.Donna admitted there is still a stigma surrounding naturism which is why British Naturism is running a campaign called Just One Person, which is about speaking to people outside the community and enlightening them to what it is all about.
