After 42 years of membership, including serving as Treasurer on their Executive Council for a while, British Naturism terminated my membership last year. This was a device to avoid having to properly hear a formal complaint I made about Mark Bass (BN's President) about the abuse of his powers. Few people have heard my side of the story, but below there are links to the actual documents involved, and you can make up your own mind.
It is a long story, but in summary, Mark Bass had been abusing his power as President for some years to try to gag me from saying things which disagreed with his personal view of the world (which he believes should be the BN corporate view). This was made worse by my occasional correction of some of the neurotic and inaccurate stuff that ‘BN legal team’ occasionally come up with on the members' forum, and Mark’s mistaken attempts to protect them from any kind of correction or criticism. This developed into a mentally sadistic game for Mark, of censuring very many of my posts, often on entirely trivial matters, and for reasons only known to him. Eventually this became so tiresome (and damaging to BN), that I asked for discussion to clear the air and find a civilised way ahead. He refused, so I warned him that I would make a formal complaint if he persisted. He persisted, so I made the complaint (See separate files, including evidence) in December 2022. A short time later, having already accepted my 2023 membership renewal, BN cancelled my membership (illegally in my view), so I have had no forum access since then. Having promised to have my complaint heard properly, the then Chairman, Robert Finney, caved in to the EC who did not hear my complaint under the BN rules, and hushed the whole thing up. As we later found out , Robert Finney soon afterwards resigned in frustration with the EC’s closing of ranks against him, and Mark’s unreasonable behaviour towards him. You may be interested to see his subsequent email exchange with me (copied below) – he has not asked for this to be kept confidential.
My letter to HEN about the Sunfolk acquisition and the sale of the Northampton premises (which went far too cheaply in my view) was written later, though Mark had previously refused to answer questions about it, and was evasive at the AGM. Apart from the way it was handled, I have worries over whether owning and running Sunfolk is the right thing for BN anyway. However, this was not the reason for my expulsion from BN as this letter was written after that. I was expelled from BN solely to avoid my complaint against Mark Bass’ abuse of position being properly heard by anyone objective. It was part of the general policy of cover-up BN applies to anything it would find embarrassing.
I hope you enjoying being a naturist, if not an Organised Naturist! Get in touch if you wish any time on duncanheenan@tiscali.co.uk
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From: Duncan Heenan <duncanheenan@tiscali.co.uk>
Date: 8 May 2023 at 19:57:31 BST
To: Robert Finney <rob.finney@ntlworld.com>
Subject: Re: Your termination by BN
Thanks Robert,
That is an interesting clarification and only goes to show that things are not always the way they appear on the surface. You do not surprise me greatly regarding Mark Bass’s behaviour, I have been putting up with it in a slightly different way for several years. He is a bully. Though he pretends to be a mild mannered libertarian, underneath he is a bigot and tyrant who can not abide anyone who does not give in to him.
I have little doubt that, in the fullness of time, Mark will fall off his perch somehow, as someone with his attitude in life cannot get away with it forever. However, as I have said before, this will take some time, because he has surrounded himself with “yes, “ men and women who will not oppose him, and others who are paid on his orders. Edwin Kilby is a disappointment in being yet another lawyer who places rules and regulations above justice, and manipulates those rules and regulations in order to circumvent them rather than implement them. Maybe he is even better suited to the INF way of doing things than we thought.
The major policy issue on which Mark and I clashed was whether BN should be a campaigning organisation or an events organiser. Though Mark claims that BN is a campaigning organisation, the balance of resources within BN tells a different story. Though I have no objection to BN running events, the fact is that they appeal to a very small number of people, and on the whole do not draw people into naturism, because so few people actually enjoy doing the sort of things that BN organises, regardless of whether they are wearing clothes or not. I have long argued that BN should be trying to create the ability in society for people to do whatever activities they enjoy, regardless of the general pressure to wear clothing. In this way, naturism would be a state of being rather than an activity in itself. Mark’s attitude seems to spring from his personal enjoyment of BN type events, which I feel may also have a sinister side.
For the time being, I have been silenced, along with many other people who disagree with BN’s direction. Until there is a change of regime in BN I have no intention of getting involved in naturist politics anymore, as I am finding life outside BN pleasurably stress-free.
I have no doubt that the “dirty tricks Department” at BN will be at work, putting their own spin on your departure and silencing any whistleblowers. This would be par for the course, but a pity, as it allows the tyranny to continue; which is, of course its purpose.
I hope you’re able to enjoy your “retirement“, including naturism, regardless of the BN, shenanigans. All we need now is a good summer!
Best wishes.
Duncan.
Sent from my iPhone
On 8 May 2023, at 17:38, Robert Finney <rob.finney@ntlworld.com> wrote:
Hi Duncan.
One of the main reasons I have been made history is that I did not dismiss the complaint. I got months of abuse and lies. In fact the disciplinary panel examined your complaint and said it had merit Mark Bass was instructed to submit a defence. Instead Mark Bass put an attack on me on the EC Forum. Instead of him being disciplined, Edwin Kilby found a way within the BN By-laws for your complaint to be rejected by the EC.
Below is part of my resignation email.
Regards
Robert
This came to a head last Saturday evening. Pauline and I were having dinner when Mark Bass phoned. He started shouting and screaming abuse at me and then slammed the phone down. Unfortunately, my phone was on speakerphone and Pauline, too, was subjected to his vitriol which left her feeling very upset and shaken.
The next day, Mark Bass sent me another offensive email and in it he stated
“when you announced your intention to stand, the entire EC was horrified…”
I found this comment to be irrational as the first proposer on my nomination form was an EC member! – yet more lies?
Yesterday, I was outside cutting the grass and Pauline answered a call on our landline – the caller’s ID was not shown. She picked up the phone and before she could say anything, a male voice started shouting irrational abuse. When she asked who was calling, the call abruptly ended. When she told me about this, I looked at my phone to see that I had a missed call from Mark Bass at 19.17 – shortly before the landline call. Again, Pauline was extremely upset and shaken about this and whilst she thought that the voice sounded like the one on Saturday from Mark Bass, she could not be 100% sure.
This is the final straw - one step too far – it’s bad enough for me getting the abuse, but not for my wife to be subjected to it.
I find myself unable to continue in this malicious, hostile environment and, with a very heavy heart, I have no other choice than to resign as chair of BN with immediate effect.
I would, however, like you to consider whether the questionable behaviour of Mark Bass is acceptable for a director of this organization.
Robert Finney
Sent from Mail for Windows
From: Duncan Heenan
Sent: 06 May 2023 15:36
To: Robert Finney
Subject: Your termination by BN
Dear Robert,
I thought I would get in touch to commiserate with you on your recent termination as chairman of BN. You are fortunate in being allowed to remain as a member, unlike me whose membership was cancelled for disagreeing with Mark Bass.
I am wondering whether you are regretting your decision to break your promise to me to hear my complaint against Mark Bass properly under the rules of BN. If you had kept your word to me, it could’ve saved a lot of trouble both then , and in the future, by showing the world, what a narrow minded tyrant and bully Mark really is, underneath his camouflage of woke liberalism. Did you ever actually read the evidence I produced? By your decision to break your or promise to me, ignore your duty under BN’s rules and throw your lot in with Bass (initially at least) I can only conclude that you did not, otherwise your perfidy would be even greater than I assumed.
Doubtless Mark will now have himself appointed chairman, so as to consolidate, his position, constitutionally as well as in practice. The chances of any serious change at BN are very small because, as you have found out, Mark has surrounded himself with acolytes, who have no independent thought of their own. In addition, there are of course a growing number of people whose interest in BN is financial, who wield undue influence.
I know this all sounds like me saying “I told you so.” But the fact is I did. Maybe you believe me now.
I imagine the last few months will have been very stressful for you, and I hope you do not suffer any health consequences of this as I did. I hope you continue to enjoy naturism, even if you do not enjoy BN.
Best wishes.
Duncan Heenan.
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Links to relevant documents: (you may need to cut and paste into a browser)
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DyaiBEknBgf8NTuFH2zCAJXTUPO6eFHC/edit?usp=drive_linkhttps://docs.google.com/document/d/1BLPwQmZSJbFCS7o97_D9B5fx8j2JFTyj/edit?usp=drive_linkhttps://docs.google.com/document/d/1kDt-kWxjc5WTFmNo0D5JQYHPtl24saa3/edit?usp=drive_linkhttps://drive.google.com/file/d/1jj11nGlN_Oc2oqvoBwJC36Ko-MLjIU83/view?usp=drive_linkhttps://docs.google.com/document/d/1QQ7nuxQi-AkO3CTufD9MpkB0-uOrmEvU/edit?usp=drive_linkhttps://docs.google.com/document/d/1XhcvuSD7wjDmeqanpxWoXYiWoaF8x4xf/edit?usp=drive_linkhttps://drive.google.com/file/d/1Z7DthWLG3D9u2mcNPlELMbjT-sYmGo_D/view?usp=drive_linkhttps://drive.google.com/file/d/1f6eo-_dkAQdxiSPlS5shYjRAex4JBMq7/view?usp=drive_linkhttps://docs.google.com/document/d/1fEMg7zwp4xPHrhYqlqdU5MeNDmUHMcFD/edit?usp=drive_linkhttps://docs.google.com/document/d/1dqwsA8uAewGo6zDHFsTZ-ylGT4IQYgtd/edit?usp=drive_link
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