Managing Money

 

With an income of about £350,000 per annum, British Naturism is a substantial ‘business’ whatever way you look at it, but it continues to be unincorporated, which means that its officers are trustees for the members’ money and BN needs ‘trusted friends’ to sign legal documents (e.g. employment contracts) on its behalf. “Lots of members’ organizations start off that way before incorporating,” said Duncan Heenan, of the BNchange campaign group But is somewhat unusual to be unincorporated after 44-years and opens the officers, and possibly even the members, to personal liability for unpaid debts. A recent item in Radio Four’s Moneybox programme warned club officials of this danger; one person they featured had to re-mortgage his house to repay a club’s debt. There are other advantages to incorporation too, and we believe it needs to be considered in detail now. ” The late Rex Watson used to say: “There are amateurs and there are rank amateurs.” BNchange believes that its time to get rid of the rank amateurs from BN’s management and introduce appropriate control mechanisms.

A chartered accountant, Duncan Heenan believes that the accounts produced by BN are not transparent or timely enough to enable ordinary members to understand how their money is being spent, or to do much about it. “I find it unacceptable that there is a 10-month delay in publishing the end of year accounts as it practically ensures that nothing can be done about anything that’s wrong until following financial year, virtually a two-year delay, and by then of course, its too late. Just as important, the whole budgetary process seems to take place with no connection to the operating plans or policies of the organisation. Control of budgets is obviously weak and uninformed. This is hardly surprising as none of the EC has any real business experience, but they seem not to even want to bring it in. ”

Poor financial management has led BN to publish accounts showing a deficit amounting to £82,049 in just two years. “I warned them at the 2005 AGM that from my experience, they were showing signs of the classic pre-bankruptcy behaviour,” said Duncan. “ Since then there has been some belt tightening – because they had to – they were running out of money, but there are still some very peculiar priorities in spending, to say the least”

Since that AGM, Duncan has volunteered his services as an accountant for free twice to the EC, the last time shortly after Richard Daniels became Chairman, after just one year as treasurer. Yet, he was turned down each time. “I find that incredible,” said Duncan, who states that he wasn’t even contacted about his offers before they were rejected. “I was not given a reason, despite asking, but I suspect it was because they did not like being criticised – even though the figures bore out every word!”

Similarly, Duncan Heenan’s professional opinion is that the commercial operations conducted by Sundial Marketing have not shown value for money. At the time, the then treasurer, Chris Beesley-Reynolds, opposed Andrew Welch’s appointment stating on record that BN would not earn enough revenue to cover the £1,000 per week he was charging. “Quite frankly,” said Duncan. “I find that prophetic, considering the EC was told that Andrew’s appointment would increase membership, but the published accounts have since shown the downward trend is continuing uninterrupted.” In January 2003 it stood at 15,500, by the end of 2006, it had fallen at 14,995 and in February 2007 it had dropped still further to 10,703, with the bulk of the 2007’s subscription renewals already received. “So it seems that Sundial Marketing and Manning Black have for a some time been luxuries that BN can no longer afford,” continued Duncan. “It is on record that British Naturism is not Andrew’s only client but we are taking up the bulk of his time. Perhaps now would be a good time to reduce BN’s call on his time quite dramatically, if not dispense with it entirely. In any case I feel we need a focussed Campaigning Manager not some undefined Commercial Manager trying to be all things to all men. ”

Now standing for the post of Treasurer, Duncan Heenan added: “Not only do I believe that BN’s policy of commercialisation has been badly carried out, the management of the contractor brought in to implement it has been almost non-existent. This has resulted in financial weakness with nothing to show for it.

“Should I be elected as Treasurer, my priorities will be to get expenditure under control and channelled in to the right things, better value for money in a number of areas, and to ensure that the presentation of the accounts and budgets is transparent and timely enough for anyone to understand them and know immediately how their money is being spent. With my colleagues in BNchange, I aim to revitalise British Naturism, ensuring that it has a sound financial foundation to take it forward into the future.”

British Naturism, Members’ Organisation

 

Ever since its inception in 1963, the sun club has been the cornerstone of British Naturism but with the introduction of individual membership, the number of BN members who also belong to a club has steadily declined. According to the 2004 survey only 43 in every 100 members belonged to a club, while 58 in every 100 members said they have never joined a club, 11 in every 100 said they hadn’t joined because they are not a club member.

“I think this is an important change,” said Reg Barlow, of the BNchange campaign group. “Especially when you think that many of the affiliated clubs no longer insist that members also join BN, so the decline is set to continue. The really worrying statistic from the survey was the 11 per cent who said they hadn’t joined because they weren’t members of a club. That tells me that a significant proportion of respondents think that BN is too club orientated.” While BNchange recognises the debt owed by British Naturism to the sun clubs, Reg thinks it’s time it ‘cut the apron strings’ and catered not only for the club member but for those who are not in a club for whatever reason and those who simply don’t want to be.

“I was reminded the other day,” said Reg. “That a naturist doesn’t need any special equipment just warm weather, a quiet spot and the willingness to take your clothes off, so why bother with a national organisation? I guess you could frame a similar question about people who prefer to drink cast-conditioned beer, or go bird watching for a hobby. Yet according to the web site the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), it has more than 85,000 members and the RSPB’s, admits to having over one million. At the time of the British Naturism/NOP survey (2000) I recall everyone banding about the figure of one million naturists in the UK and Mick Ayers claimed that more people were joining BN than ever. So where are they?” According to the figures available to BNchange, the membership reached its peak in 2001, when there was 18,631 and it has been on a decline ever since.

Even the engagement of Andrew Welch has failed to stem this decline. The first positive action the commercial manager has done to increase membership numbers was the Alton Towers event last year, and then it was restricted to British Naturism’s members. BNchange believes that this was a golden opportunity missed by BN, to introduce itself to a wider audience unaware of British Naturism’s existence. “I’ve learned from the minutes of the marketing sub-committee last September, that the event was picked up by the radio,” began Reg. “But Pat Thompson had to explain that it was for members’ only. Can you imagine a bigger turn off?” he continued. “British Naturism needs a more outward looking culture; it is still stuck in the 30s and 40s when people were much more reticent to tell their friends and family what they did at the weekend, they had a genuine fear of being ostracised, if not worse. Today, whenever its warm enough, people wear just about enough clothing to make them socially acceptable, and nudity is on display wherever you care to look. If someone has had their interest peaked and they don’t find an organisation that is welcoming; that wants to turn their curiosity about a lifestyle into participation then you’ve lost them forever and no amount of members’ benefits or events like Alton Towers will bring them back.”

We turned next to the magazine British Naturism. In the last issue (BN171), members were invited to think of a new title to prevent confusion between the magazine and the organisation, which trades under the same name. “This is a sensible move,” said Reg. “And one that is long overdue. For as long as I can remember though, some members have wanted it to go monthly and perhaps be available through the local newsagent. While I can see an argument for the first of those ideas (I vaguely remember Rex Watson had that dream too), I don’t see the latter ever happening simply because of where the magazine would end up; on the top shelf, jostling for space against the likes of Mayfair and Penthouse, with the pictures ogled over by adolescent boys.”

Reg agreed that the magazine now looks much better than it did before Andrew Welch put his undoubted communications skills to good use, but he believes it really amounts to “old wine in a new bottle” as the content hasn’t really changed from when he first joined. “It’s an expanded club magazine,” said Reg. “Still largely directed at club members, giving us the news the EC wants us to read. If you look at something like Nude and Natural, from The Naturist Society in America, it has a much wider coverage of news, views and opinion about naturism, as well as the usual travelogue articles for its readers to read. If I had a choice – and obviously I do – I’d prefer to read Nude and Natural, simply because it is more lively, more engaging, more forward looking than our own British Naturism.”

Reg says he has one or two ideas about what British Naturism should do with its magazine, but what he would really like to see is the members’ dictating a new look, “Lets start from a clean sheet,” he said. “And find out what the members actually want, not what the EC thinks they do.” He has similar thoughts about the web site, which he described as “awful” and “very uninformative”. “If that was your first encounter with British Naturism, would you want to join? And who came up with the colour scheme! I wonder how many members actually use it to get information about BN and its activities? Not hits, members. It needs re-working quickly.”

With Derek Brixey deciding not to stand for Vice-chairman again, members have a choice between Ron Twining and BNchange candidate, Reg Barlow. “I have never met Ron in person,” said Reg. “I know him only by reputation and understand that he is a real committee man, having served several times at his sun club, and at regional and national level within BN. I even understand that he served for a single term as a local councillor. So it looks as if Ron is the favourite to win this contest because I’m still a relative unknown.

“However, I don’t think people should be too quick to write me off. Derek Brixey wasn’t a well-known figure in BN circles before he was elected either, and when I asked friends and acquaintances about Ron’s achievements, it was hard for them to name any. So perhaps on that score, he and I are more equal than at first seemed. I’ve been told that, under Ron’s Chairmanship BN’s Southern Region appears to be moribund to many members and that he is too concerned with pointless committee meetings that add no value to naturism. If true, do we really need a vice-chairman like that?

“In my election address I described BN as a ‘house plant that’s pot bound’ and I hope you can see from what I said today, what I mean by it. BN needs some new ideas, a fresh outlook to give British Naturism new vigour. No single person can go on forever. Their creativity bankrupt, their ideas fail to generate the desired effect. If Mick Ayers engagement of Andrew Welch had the expressed aim to reverse the trend in a declining membership, then I think four years is enough time to say it hadn’t worked but the EC, now under the leadership of Richard Daniels, don’t appear to have a new plan.
“I may not have Ron’s experience in committee work, but I think I have demonstrated that I have thought about the problems that BN is encountering and that I have the creativity to tackle them. I know as a Human Resources professional that past performance is no guarantee of future performance and sitting on a committee is not the same as having a goal and achieving it. Maybe its time for the batten to be handed over to the next generation.”

British Naturism International

 

“It is ironic,” says Stuart Troughton of the BNchange campaign group. “That I’m standing for International Officer, a post held by Paul Kirby for several years. “As I’m not entirely sure what it entails. I know it means that I will be ‘in charge’ of the various holiday advisers, but what else did it cover?” Stuart emailed BN’s office to asking for a copy of the role and responsibilities for the International Officer, only to be told that it doesn’t exist! “I was amazed,” he said. BNchange knows for a fact that Richard Burnham – a very experienced business practices consultant – was asked to create roles and responsibilities for the Executive Council members but due to the lack of co-operation from the rest of the council, he had to create them himself. Over-runs in council business caused more delay, so they were only discussed after Richard had resigned and Michael Farrar was asked to re-write them. That was in 2004. In the EC minutes for February 2007, Angela Russell was asked to ‘update’ the roles and responsibilities for the EC, making them ‘more concise’ at the same time and as we went to press, BNchange learned that the roles and responsibilities have finally been agreed by the Executive Council.

“We have no illusions about how difficult such things can be to write,” said Stuart, who has years of experience as an effective organiser. “But if they take three-plus years to create such an important document for their effectiveness as a council, then what hope is there that they can efficiently deal with BN’s outstanding problems?

“I actually want to see what kind of benefit does British Naturism and its members derive from its large expenditure, but minimal involvement in, in the International Naturist Federation, for which Mick Ayers is now European PRO,” said Stuart.

The INF did not feature heavily in the 2004 survey with only two per cent of respondents stating that they didn’t need the INF card. The survey failed to asked the opposite question, ‘Is INF membership, which is included in your BN membership, a reason to join?’ Most French and Spanish naturists resorts don’t require you to show an INF card on entry, but those few that do are also perfectly willing to sell you one on the spot. To BNchange, this undermines there value as identification for the ‘genuine naturist’ and with no other visible benefit to its members, they find it hard to justify the £26,500 of BN’s members’ money handed over to the INF over the last three years for which there are published accounts (2002-5).

It has come to BNchange’s notice that the 2007 budgets have already been trimmed, presumably to take care of the worsening cash flow, except that is the International Officer, who according to the last set of accounts seen by BNchange still stood at £4,500 in comparison to the a mere £1,000 allocated to the R&LO for campaigning purposes. “This does really suggest that the EC has their priorities wrong,” said Stuart. “When you recall that the 2004 survey showed that 83 per cent wanted BN to work harder to get more locations available for naturism. Andrew Welch may have said that ‘We’re listening’ but I think the budgets tell the truth there, as far as the EC are concerned.

“What is more, our understanding is that the next meeting to be hosted by the INF in 2008 will be in Brazil, not exactly known for its vibrant naturist community, and partially paid for by BN members’ money.” BNchange says that if Mick Ayers had any sympathy for the financial mess that BN finds itself in he would be cancelling any arrangement he’s made for this trip. After all, was it not he, as then chairman, who set British Naturism onto its current path?

During his tenure of the chairman’s seat, Mick Ayers employed contractor Andrew Welch without reference to the Executive Council and the warnings of Chris Beasley-Reynolds, the then Treasurer, that the cost of £1,000 per week was not affordable, more than born out by the deficit of £82,000 run up since. The situation was made worse when at the 2005 AGM, just two days after the EC was given assurances that there was no cash flow crisis looming, Mick Ayers and others arranged for a longstanding savings bond valued at £30,000, and representing BN’s final cash reserves, to be cashed enabling BN to pay staff’s salaries. It was only through probing questions by members on the floor that Chris Beasley-Reynolds owned up to the true situation, much to Mick Ayers’ chagrin, otherwise the whole thing would have stayed a secret.

Stuart Troughton knows all about secrets, working for GCHQ, but he says there are times when a secret should be kept and a time for openness. BN has very little need for secrecy at all and it is this that often undermines the confidence of members in BN itself. “Like, why aren’t the minutes published in full?” asked Stuart. “The magazine and website only carry an heavily edited versions, as are the minutes for the Management and Marketing sub-committees, which only raises more questions and suspicions among members.”

BNchange believes that after being the main instigator of British Naturism’s perilous financial circumstances that it is inappropriate for Mick Ayers to be once again on the Executive Council. Notwithstanding the yet to be published roles and responsibilities for BN’s officers, Stuart Troughton believes that the International Officer should have direct contact with other national organisations, mostly in Europe but in other English speaking countries too. “The INF,” he says. “Is literally a waste of time and money, with no benefit to British Naturism’s members at all. It’s time that the members came first, not someone’s ego.”

Poor Decision Makers

One of the first acts of Pat Thompson as a newly installed President was to spend over £3,000 on printing and distributing the President’s Newsletter to the members, which provided exactly the same information as British Naturism [the magazine] issued a week later, but with less detail. “That was quite an amazing decision to make, made worse by the fact that the idea must’ve died a death shortly afterwards, because it hasn’t been repeated. It was an utter waste of money,” said John Paine of the BNchange campaign group.

“Sadly,” continued John. “This is not the only example of poor management that I can cite.” Both of the last AGMs, under Pat’s control were criticised by H&E Naturist and Naturist Life, the last of which culminated in John’s expulsion as Research and Liaison Officer (R&LO), just two months before he was to give up the post. “I am totally bemused by that episode,” he said in an interview last week. “And to be honest, it still rankles. Yes, I admit to writing a letter published in HEN, which stated my personal opinion but signed off with the wrong signature, so it appeared as if I was writing in my official capacity as R&LO and I apologised for that. The charge they eventually got me on came completely out of the blue and was never evidence based, so how could I refute it and it was hanging over me for six months, as the report to the EC kept being put off. I’m told that had I been an employee, such a delay meant that I could have turned to the Employment Tribunal for a decision, but I guess natural justice doesn’t matter because we’re volunteers. Then of course came the vote at the AGM and when I finally saw the ‘legal advise’, eight months late by-the-way, it turned out to offer no more an opinion, because the EC had asked for advice too late for any considered research,” he explained. “In a way, that [AGM] was almost farcical, if it hadn’t also been so sordid,” concluded John.

John returned to the subject of poor management: “The 2004 survey told the EC, which included Pat, that 91 per cent of the respondents wanted BN’s profile raised and of course the Alton Towers weekend held last November [2006] had been an ideal opportunity to do just that with the general public,” began John. “I didn’t hear it, but I understand from the minutes of the Marketing Committee held in September – so just before the event – that Pat had done some radio interviews, on the subject of Alton Towers. The minutes state, and I quote: ‘Pat Thompson stated this [that the event was restricted to members] in the radio interviews, though non-members had always been invited provided they joined [British Naturism].’ That is putting the cart before the horse; she was literally telling naturists – and anyone wanting to try it for the first time at Alton Towers, because it was an organised event – that we don’t want them. If they had said, ‘If you want to try naturism in the UK come to Alton Towers’ then not only do I think BN would have had more than the ‘roughly 275’ quoted in British Naturism [the magazine] as being there, they might have had some new members too!
“If there was a clause that precluded non-members from going in the contract with Red Letter Days, then why did Pat go on the radio; why did we give a vague invitation to non-members and why did they reluctantly agree to setting a fee for non-members who, late in the day, decided that they wanted to go.”

Conscious that he appeared to be targeting Pat Thompson, John turned to someone else on the council he thought showed a lack of judgement and poor management skills. “Mick Ayers, as Chairman; agreed a contract with Sundial Marketing without prior discussion with the rest of the Executive Council and to the eventual objection of his own Treasurer on the grounds of affordability.” BNchange believes, that ever since Sundial Marketing won the contract, certain aspects of it have been needlessly kept secret, although some details have since escaped. “From the outset, the members were given the impression that Andrew Welch was experienced contractor in the field,” said John. “But they were careful never to actually say so. I have since learned that he was in fact a public relations man – sometimes called a spin doctor – made redundant from a city institution, so BN is effectively paying for someone to learn the job, on the job.”

John held the post of R&LO for 22-months, during which time he was heavily involved in several campaigns involving beaches and swims, that saw him travelling to different parts of the country. This was in addition to his charitable and union work that he does on a voluntary basis. “I’m retired, so yes, I am busy but I like it like that,” he said. Together with Richard Burnham, who resigned from the Executive Council early, John tried to get BN to adopt good management and open decision-making practices, such as the creation of roles and responsibilities for the various officers on the EC. “Richard was actually asked to compile these for the EC,” began John. “As it would give terms of reference for each person sitting around the table, but the others were reluctant to provide him with any help for some reason. In the end, Richard was forced to compose his own set of roles and responsibilities for each post. It took several meetings before we finally got to that item on the agenda, only to be rejected and Michael Farrar being asked to re-write them. I leave you to draw your own conclusions as to how Richard felt at that moment.

“In the end, it didn’t really matter, because Michael’s watered down versions weren’t accepted either. But I read in the minutes for the EC meeting held last February that Angela Russell had ‘updated’ and made them ‘more concise’. I find this confusing because when Stuart [Troughton] asked for a copy of the role and responsibility for the International Officer, Tracey Major [General Secretary] told him that such an item did not exist, yet she was there at the meeting!”

BNchange believes that such details are important. While a sun club might have a small committee with the chairman, treasurer and secretary being designated, and a couple more undesignated members to help out, according to the CCBN directory British Naturism has up to 19 people around the table (the General Secretary, 10 officers and eight regional representatives) and in such circumstances, roles and responsibilities are essential so each of them know what they are expected to do. Without them each person who holds the office will look at the role differently. “I think we can see that right now,” said John. “Malcolm Boura has a very different take on the role of R&LO from me, and I was different from Sue Piper, another previous holder of the office. I’m not saying that they are wrong or that I’m right, but I think it will be useful to have terms of reference for consistent of action from one R&LO to the next.”

John then explained that he has been thinking about the management structure of BN, citing the two sub-committees, management and marketing. “Neither of these sub-committees are mentioned in the constitution, so their existence is all down to custom and practice. But to be honest, I think it’s almost impossible for 19 people to agree a decision about policy or management issues efficiently. Should I be elected as President, I shall be looking at slimming down the Executive Council, with each post being given a clear role and responsibilities and formalise the management and marketing sub-committee functions by bringing them into the constitution, separating policy from management.”

BNchange believes that this review is not only sensible it’s essential if British Naturism is to have an Executive Council that is efficient as well as effective.

Hot action this summer? by John Paine

A critical summer is in store for naturism in Britain. H&E naturist readers voice criticism of BN as currently run. For BN to meet the needs of naturists, so clearly identified by Mark Nisbet, then BN members, noted in the past for apathy rather than democracy must use their votes. They are in ‘the last chance saloon.’ If you don’t want the facts, then stop reading now! Without a clear vote to change BN priorities this summer it will only continue to diminish.

In contrast to BN’s poor 2006 low vote elections (eight posts, three candidates unopposed, five seats left vacant) this year there is a strong field of candidates. BN members have real choice when they vote this June. Only they can decide what type of BN will develop.

Bad Management
BN is a business with an annual turnover of £352,000 run by amateurs. Rex Watson said “there are amateurs and then there are rank amateurs.” Financial accountability, BN style, is to publish annual accounts for member discussion 10 months after the end of the financial year. This timing ensures that members cannot influence spending before yet another year’s BN deficit has happened.

Chairman Richard Daniels (unopposed, he took office without a single BN member vote being cast) has for 12 months failed to appoint a Treasurer. Yet Daniels and BN’s ruling Executive Council (itself short of several members) have rejected the only BN member – Duncan Heenan, a highly-qualified Chartered Accountant – who did offer.

Published accounts show that BN racked up deficits of £82,049 in just two years. Duncan feels that BN’s commercialism has been badly handled, resulting in financial weakness with nothing much to show for it. Several former BN treasurers say that employing Andrew Welch, as Commercial Manager at £4,000 per month, would never be covered by increased membership revenue. Sundial Marketing, Andrew Welch’s company, has been paid over £130,000, advertising company Manning Black over £22,000.

Duncan was never interviewed for the Treasurer post, he suspects because of his open criticism of the ruling EC. Criticism from BN members is something they cannot handle, especially when based on facts they like to keep quiet. BN members can choose if they want Duncan Heenan, a BNchange candidate, as Treasurer.

Who for President?
I am standing as the BNchange candidate for President. An experienced professional community development officer, I tried, with Richard Burnham, during 22 months on the EC, to get BN to adopt good management practices. Opposition to these ideas – from the current BN hierarchy – resulted in my August 2006 suspension. Pat Thompson chaired two crucial meetings on that suspension. BN members can express their views when they vote John Paine as President this summer.

Another key post
Reg Barlow is the BNchange candidate standing for Vice-Chairman, another key decision-making post. Reg is a member of two professional bodies. His experience in the public sector will be invaluable to creating a more effective BN. Reg feels that naturism in Britain since the 1930’s has been built around sun clubs and BN has run like a ‘super club’ rather than as a national campaigning body. Ron Twining, an old EC hand keen to get this post, would probably not agree!

No job descriptions!
Stuart Troughton, an effective organiser, is the BNchange candidate for International Officer. Stuart asked BN for a job description, amazingly none existed!

Richard Burnham, a business practices consultant elected onto the EC in 2004, spent a year drawing up good job descriptions for BN. Other EC members rejected them all. For years BN officers, operating a ‘gravy train’ mentality, refuse to be accountable to BN members. Richard resigned in disgust in August 2006.

BN has poured members’ money into international activity. Mick Ayers, former BN Chairman, now INF European PRO, is considering an INF trip to Brazil in 2008. Stuart believes BN expenditure overseas must be balanced against the needs of naturists in Britain.

Costly decisions
Some good things have occurred in BN – at huge financial cost. BN members have difficulty getting minutes of meetings (including Management Team and Marketing Committee) where the key, and expensive, decisions are made. BN magazine and website carry only a heavily edited ‘report’ on EC meetings. BNchange candidates will get rid of that secrecy.

Some readers like BN magazine, yet it carries very little actual news about naturism! Over three years magazine costs officially totalled £208,000. In 2005 I received reports to EC that added £12,000 per year of Andrew Welch time on top. At February 2006 EC we were told that the Alton Towers weekend would not cost BN a penny! Few BN members attended and membership plummeted, renewals 28% down (by 4,252) in January 2007. Little wonder even more EC members are baling out!

BN members will choose
For years campaigners said that BN should become a pro-active body. Richard Collins, and others, left BN. Now BNchange candidates are making a final attempt to alter BN priorities. They want BN members to support use of current BN cash for different priorities: greater support to beach user groups, and defence of naturist beaches. An effective campaign to create a positive image of naturism: national discussions with the police. A national legal defence network for BN members. BNchange candidates say this can all be done without further increases in subscriptions.

Summer 2007 is ‘make or break’ year. BN members face a stark choice on how BN uses its £352,000 annual turnover. Either vote for the time-expired ‘old guard’ whose priority is costly ‘fun and games,’ or vote for the priorities above, undertaken by people with real management expertise and experience. The four BNchange candidates, Duncan Heenan, John Paine, Reg Barlow, Stuart Troughton, can provide that expertise. Find out more on http://bnchange.wordpress.com.

BN members will not have the opportunity to make such a choice again.