Dates for World Naked Bike Ride (WNBR) events in the UK have been released, with the first of the protest rides being held later this month in Portsmouth.

TWC Debates: Reasons for and Against Going on a Naked Bike Ride

The rides are mass participation city centre events, and those taking part can choose to go totally naked, or to wear the bear minimum. They’re described as ‘peaceful, imaginative and fun’ and are designed to protest against car culture, and draw attention to the vulnerability to cyclists on the roads.

More recently, as well as celebrating the simplicity of travelling by bike, the rides have been seen as a way to encourage positive body image.

More than 50 cities worldwide play host to events, and in the UK around 3,000 people are said to strip off to make their presence seen every year.

For those interested, but a little intimidated, there’s plenty of information and FAQ answers available, most notably an explanation of the laws regarding public nudity in the UK.

The ride website explains: “It is unlikely that police will object to nudity at future rides in England and Wales. Local police officially acknowledged the legality of full nudity at all rides from 2007 onward… In contrast, Scottish police have never officially allowed full nudity at the four Edinburgh rides in 2004, 2008, 2010, and 2011. No arrest have been made, so the legality of the Scottish police’s position has never actually been tested in court.”

Interested in joining a ride? Here are the dates for your diary – with two more still to come..

• Portsmouth 21 May
• Canterbury 28 May
• Southampton 3 Jun
• Bristol 4 Jun
• Cardiff 5 Jun
• Manchester 10 Jun
• London 11 Jun
• Brighton 12 Jun
• Cambridge 18 Jun
• Chelmsford 25 Jun
• York 25 Jun
• Scarborough 26 Jun
• Folkestone 2 Jul
• Newcastle-Gateshead 2 Jul
• Worthing 2 Jul
• Exeter 9 Jul
• Colchester 16 Jul
• Clacton 23 Jul
• Hastings TBC
• Edinburgh TBC

You can find out more about each individual ride, and sign up to a Facebook page about the event, as well as checking out all the FAQs and their answers here.