Nudity Required

[Torchwatch]

The local Scout Camp Site and Activity Centre had an indoor swimming pool. There was a policy of Scouts wearing uniform (with long trousers), shorts around the camp site and swimming naked.

The naked sessions open to all Scouts but not to visiting public were held at 8 am each morning and 7 pm Saturday evenings. You had to arrive in shorts or uniform to be allowed in.

Scout Troops wishing to book the pool could decide whether to use swim suits or to swim naked.

When we camped there one weekend we went to the pool at 8 am, no one turned up with the key so we never got in.

The practise ended in the 1980's after a letter in the local paper. One Troop turned up to swim without swim suits after the open sessions were stopped, the camp site let them book the pool and swim naked one last time.

In the 1980's young people were able to change in changing rooms without hiding under towels, they weren't more confident about their bodies, they just didn't care about being seen by other males.