Naturismo.org Magazine 2007. AAPNT; its history.

Manuel Mondéjar Aluja is the President of the Associació d’Amics de la Platja Naturista del Torn (AAPNT); the Association of Friends for the TORN Naturist beach.
This association was founded to claim their right to practice nudism at that beach. Initially, in the sixties, when naturism was forbidden, naturists had to be on the alert so as not to be caught by the police.
The TORN beach is 1,4000 m long and an average of 57 m wide. It is also practically surrounded by the sea and a low range of coastal mountain.
Since the access area, fenced with chicken wire, used to belong to one landowner, it was actually private. During the second half of the seventies more and more people ventured onto the beach. In 1977, about 15 families used to gather at one end, near a rock, (or tormo), hence its word (tormo – torm – torn).
Any time the police could arrest these ”naked individuals who went against morality and proper social behaviour”.

In the first half of the eighties the number of nudists at the beach reached the highest peak. Simultaneously, free camping in a nearby forest behind the central area of the beach also began. It was a time of freedom and naturist friendship which the families celebrated camping on weekends. But in 1987, the new owner since 1980, barred access to the beach.
During winter and spring of 1987, some people worked to restore the path which allowed entrance till the middle of July. Then the owner rebuilt the physical barriers and hired security guards to keep people away.

The Association’s 4 main goals:
a. To keep the “Playa del Torn” in Hospitalet de l’Infant, province of Tarragona, as an ecological area free of pollution.
b. To encourage the practice of sports such as swimming, volleyball, athletic exercises, diving, and others.
c. To unite those naturists who identify with the idea of love and respect for the human body and the natural environment as a unit.
d. To promote meetings and cultural activities among those who share similar goals.

Activities.
Although the Association has been interested in promoting all kinds of sportive, recreational and cultural activities, for the last 18 years, not many people have been participating. The reason is probably due to what many members have expressed as to what they want from the association: to be vigilant in order to prevent any urban or anti-environmental changes so as to relax and rest in peace and quiet at their favourite beach.

Facts.
• In November 1989, the owner of the land round the beach asked our opinion about building a naturist camp on his property. Our answer was to ask him to show us his project in detail. We would not support any project which is not respectful with regard to the environment and does not allow free access to the beach. On February, 1991, the owner shows us a project which we do not support but do not oppose either. We think a naturist camp is preferable to other alternatives, like a hotel complex. On the 19th March 1991, the owner signs a protocol respecting our demands. On the 3rd of June we signed an agreement between the Association and Sun & Sea as to the respect due to the environment and stating that all projects would have a naturist orientation as well as certain advantages for our association. At the beginning of February, construction on the camping site begins.
• On the 29th of March, 1990 we met the Provincial Authority to ask him to declare the TORN a nudist beach and to preserve it environment. He said the Autonomous Government had a project to declare it a “Protected Natural Area”, (which was approved on the 7th of April, 1990). With regard to our demands for an institutional statement declaring the TORN a nudist beach, he declined saying that there was no legislation for that. On the 21st of May, 1997, the Town Hall declared “naturist area” the section from Barranco de Cadalocas to the end of the TORN beach.
• On the 4th of July we asked the Town Hall to set out rubbish bins, provide a Red Cross station and to improve the access paths.
• A membership card is issued.
• On the 12th of March 1992, we held the first meeting with the executive board and members of the Catalonian Naturist Club, (CCN), and together we studied our histories, present situation and future projects for collaboration.
• On the 20th of June 1992 and 5th of June 1993, the TORN was the venue for a celebration of the International Naturist Day with the CCN and the Asociación Naturista de Aragón, (ANA).
• On the 27th of April, 1993, a move by the Town Hall to declare the land bordering on the beach an “urban area”, made us protest and propose that that land be declared “rural and not for building” instead. Between February and April 1994 five fires destroy the vegetation on the mountain beside the beach.
• In June and July we set up basic norms of behaviour at a nudist beach. We also set up a Red Cross stand for life guards in view of the fact that the Town Hall had no money in their budget for that. That situation lasted three years. During the summer of 1995 we finally got the lifeguards watch tower and patrols for the forest area and the car park.
• On the 15th August, 1993, there was a proposal by the board to join the FEN, when we thought it fit. On the 10th of August 1997 the board reported its decision to join the FEN. During the winter of 1997-8 we joined the FEN. The summer of 1998 we could already use the INF/FEN card. On the 1st, 2nd and 3rd of May, 1988, together with FEN and the Patronat de Turisme d´Hospitalet de l’Infant, we held some nudist days at the TORN beach. They coincided with the FEN general assembly. We officially joined FEN. On the 25th and 26th of May 2002 we held the 2nd meeting of the nudist days of the TORN at the Templo del Sol. We celebrated 25 years of Naturism at the TORN. On the 29th, 30th, 31st of May and 1st of June, 2003, we and the FEN, jointly, organised the INF Interfederal. Manel Mondejar became president of the FEN in June 2003; however since he did not have a wide base support he resigned but stayed on until the next election in February 2004.
• On the 23rd of February, we had a meeting with GEPEC, an ecologist group, to contrast our points of view about the area.
• In the spring of 2001 Joan Porta, an active member in the field of communications, creates our WEB page. He also becomes vice-president of the FEN, on the 26th of May, 2002.
• In January 2004 and February 2005we held encounters at a nudist swimming pool and some other activities in the mountains.

Advantages of being a member of AAPNT.
The main advantage is that of belonging to an Association which is for the improvement and protection of the beach for naturist use and of the environment. They also have the federation card with its advantages and privileges. We also have an agreement with El Templo del Sol which gives us a discount. You can go to www.naturismo.org/torn and fill in the form. Then, send it to us by e-mail to: aapnt@natursimo.org or by post to Apartado 410 43200-Reus, together with two pictures, identity card size. Anybody can be a member. Families also benefit since the membership covers the family unit. The federation card is issued under the name so declared and the members of the family, who wished to, can also be put down in writing. New members pay 80 € the first year. 20 € the following years. New members who are already members of a federation pay only 40€ the first year. At the moment we have 340 active members (families).

The Future.
We see our future as a continuation and development of what has been done so far trying to upgrade the quality of life of nudists at the TORN. The larger the number the more influence we can have in Catalunya, Spain, and Europe.