WHEN a man reaches the age of 77, you might expect him to be walking around the golf course or indulging in the odd game of bowls – but Stuart Haywood is not your normal retiree.
Late in life, Stuart has found a love for a rather unusual hobby... naturism.
"The feeling of freedom is fantastic," he said.
"When people are younger they might be self-conscious about what their body looks like.
"But I'm past worrying about things like that. Life is for living and I love being in the nude."
Since discovering a desire to show 'the full Monty', nothing has held back the former accountant.
His first tentative steps into baring all came when he posed as a life model and from that moment his love of whipping off his kit has come on leaps and bounds.
He has joined British Naturism, the organisation that celebrates the naked form in the UK and is celebrating its 50th year in 2014.
Stuart has also risked becoming very saddle-sore by taking part in a naked bike ride for charity and now he has found like-minded souls at a naturist resort near Skegness, which he has visited seven times in the past two years.
Stuart, of Midway, near Swadlincote, said: "Despite going there when the weather has been nice and the fact that there is a lake and wildlife, I've not yet been bitten by any bugs anywhere where it might be, shall we say, a little painful.
"It is a fantastic resort full of people who enjoy what I do and taking their clothes off.
"And there is an option on whether or not you choose to wear clothes, with no obligations at all to go naked."
That obligation comes in handy with Stuart's wife of 54 years, Rhona, who gives her husband her full backing in his new pastime, but chooses to keep herself covered up.
The 83-year-old said: "I'm not bothered about Stuart taking his clothes off and I'm perfectly happy being around naked people. I just don't think it is for me.
"If he's happy doing what he does then that means we're both happy."
The first time Stuart bared all was four years ago at a local college in Swadlincote.
He applied to be a life model for a female artist who has since become a close friend.
He said: "I felt quite intimidated at first but within 10 minutes of sitting there it felt completely natural.
"I volunteered a few more times and I was really pleased with the pictures that she drew.
"Then, a few months later, I decided to go to a British Naturism day at Abbey House Gardens in Wiltshire.
"Again there was a clothes optional policy and I was sat there chatting to this family which included a grandmother, mother and daughter who had travelled from Liverpool and were not naked.
"We were laughing away, having a great time and when the time came for them to leave the grandmother said to me, 'That's the best day out I've had in years, I'm in my 90s and if it had been a bit warmer I would have stripped off myself."
Last year Stuart, who before his retirement worked at the former Norton-Adshead bookmakers in Burton, at Bass as an accountant and later at builders Lomas (Burton) Ltd, decided he would take part in the World Naked Bike Ride Organisation fund-raising ride.
He bought a bike, joined 150 others in Southampton and – rather gingerly – got on the saddle for the 45-minute ride.
He said: "When we all got ready at the start we got some abuse from one person but a bunch of Japanese tourists rushed over and started taking lots of photos.
"There couldn't stop smiling and laughing. And a bus load of passengers were staring at us all from the top deck.
"The only clothes I kept on were shoes and socks.
"Well, I needed somewhere to keep my mobile phone!"
Stuart said he struggled to keep up with some of the other 150 riders on the ride, which was marshalled and organised with the approval of the police.
He said: "I ended up falling off my bike but didn't hurt myself and when I got up there was this woman staring at me. She just said hello as though seeing a naked man in his 70s was an everyday occurrence.
"I had barely started dressing when a voice behind me said 'hello, hello, hello' and I turned around to be greeted by a smiling policeman and policewoman."
Stuart, who has been a regular contributor to the Derby Telegraph's bygones section for 12 years, raised £600 for the cardiac unit at Burton's Queen's Hospital during the ride.
Despite his new-found love of letting it all hang out, Stuart never walks naked around his home, in Elmsleigh Green, saving his interest for when he visits the Skegness campsite.
He said: "It is set in 13 acres, has a host of activities and is full of people who enjoy doing what I do.
"It is a bit eccentric but I am not harming anyone, offending anyone and at the ripe old age of 77 it's something a bit different that I enjoy. I wish I had discovered it earlier.
PLACES FOR NATURISTS TO GO
ACCORDING to British Naturism, there are 73 dedicated resorts or clubs in the UK that cater for those who enjoy being nude.
The furthest north is in Sunnybroom, in Aberdeen, while the furthest south is in Newquay, Cornwall.
The closest to Derby is the East Midlands Sun Folk resort between Lincoln and Gainsborough, which has more than 100 touring and static caravans on an eight-acre site and around 250 members.
Facilities include a new clubhouse with TV, lounge, games and bowls room, kitchen, showers, toilets and an outdoor heated swimming pool.
There is a well equipped children's play area site where they can be easily supervised.
The British Naturism website also lists 50 beaches in the UK where there are sections that cater for nudity.
They, too, stretch from Scotland to Cornwall and the nearest ones to Derby are Holkham Beach, in north Norfolk, and Fraisethorpe, in Yorkshire.
Abbey House Gardens, in Marlborough, Wiltshire, hosts a number of "clothes optional" days for naturists throughout the summer where "the clothed mix comfortably with the unclothed".
The remaining ones taking place this year are on July 27, August 17 and 31 and September 17.
For more information, visit www.abbeyhousegardens.co.uk or call 01666 827650.
For more information on naturism in the UK visit the British Naturism website www.bn.org.uk.
PLACES FOR NATURISTS TO GOACCORDING to British Naturism, there are 73 dedicated resorts or clubs in the UK that cater for those who enjoy being nude.
The furthest north is in Sunnybroom, in Aberdeen, while the furthest south is in Newquay, Cornwall.
The closest to Derby is the East Midlands Sun Folk resort between Lincoln and Gainsborough, which has more than 100 touring and static caravans on an eight-acre site and around 250 members.
Facilities include a new clubhouse with TV, lounge, games and bowls room, kitchen, showers, toilets and an outdoor heated swimming pool.
There is a well equipped children's play area site where they can be easily supervised.
The British Naturism website also lists 50 beaches in the UK where there are sections that cater for nudity.
They, too, stretch from Scotland to Cornwall and the nearest ones to Derby are Holkham Beach, in north Norfolk, and Fraisethorpe, in Yorkshire.
Abbey House Gardens, in Marlborough, Wiltshire, hosts a number of "clothes optional" days for naturists throughout the summer where "the clothed mix comfortably with the unclothed".
The remaining ones taking place this year are on July 27, August 17 and 31 and September 17.
For more information, visit www.abbeyhousegardens.co.uk or call 01666 827650.
For more information on naturism in the UK visit the British Naturism website www.bn.org.uk.
