1 00:00:02,560 --> 00:00:05,320 Speaker 1: From the Newsroom are news to come today. 2 00:00:07,000 --> 00:00:07,280 Speaker 2: Today. 3 00:00:07,360 --> 00:00:10,160 Speaker 3: There and Andrew Bucklow, and welcome to this adults only 4 00:00:10,240 --> 00:00:13,760 Speaker 3: episode of From the Newsroom, which is all about swinging. Yeah, 5 00:00:13,800 --> 00:00:15,800 Speaker 3: if you're not entirely sure what it is, he is 6 00:00:15,840 --> 00:00:17,480 Speaker 3: a dating expert from TikTok. 7 00:00:17,680 --> 00:00:21,680 Speaker 4: Swinging is a type of ethical non monogamy or consensual 8 00:00:21,840 --> 00:00:26,200 Speaker 4: non monogamy where usually a group of married or long 9 00:00:26,320 --> 00:00:29,920 Speaker 4: term partners come together in a party or event type 10 00:00:29,920 --> 00:00:32,160 Speaker 4: setting and swap with each other. 11 00:00:32,640 --> 00:00:34,319 Speaker 3: So you may have seen an article on yous dot 12 00:00:34,320 --> 00:00:36,920 Speaker 3: com dot au the other day about swing Athon. It 13 00:00:37,000 --> 00:00:39,800 Speaker 3: is one of the world's biggest swinging festivals that was 14 00:00:39,840 --> 00:00:43,400 Speaker 3: held recently in England. In this episode, we're gonna chat 15 00:00:43,400 --> 00:00:45,520 Speaker 3: to one of the organizers and he's going to reveal 16 00:00:45,560 --> 00:00:48,000 Speaker 3: what really went down inside the festival. 17 00:00:48,040 --> 00:00:50,839 Speaker 2: Well, you know, apart from the obvious. 18 00:00:52,560 --> 00:00:55,320 Speaker 1: Thousands of people are descending on a sleepy village for 19 00:00:55,360 --> 00:00:57,120 Speaker 1: Britain's biggest swingers festival. 20 00:00:57,160 --> 00:00:59,600 Speaker 5: It's going to be an amazing weekend. Swing up on 21 00:00:59,640 --> 00:01:00,400 Speaker 5: tweet twi. 22 00:01:00,920 --> 00:01:02,480 Speaker 2: If you're not in it, why not? 23 00:01:02,840 --> 00:01:07,320 Speaker 1: The controversial festival features play tents, hot tubs and mobile dungeons. 24 00:01:07,520 --> 00:01:09,959 Speaker 5: If this isn't the sleep Over the Century. 25 00:01:10,040 --> 00:01:12,120 Speaker 2: I don't know what is. We're joining me now is 26 00:01:12,240 --> 00:01:13,000 Speaker 2: Matt Cole. 27 00:01:13,120 --> 00:01:15,760 Speaker 3: He is one of the organizers of Swingathon, which was 28 00:01:15,800 --> 00:01:19,039 Speaker 3: held recently in the UK. Good a, Matt, Kay, I 29 00:01:19,040 --> 00:01:21,240 Speaker 3: am doing very very well. Tell me what, in your 30 00:01:21,280 --> 00:01:23,560 Speaker 3: words is swing Athon all about. 31 00:01:24,720 --> 00:01:29,920 Speaker 5: It's kind of very odd to explain, but basically it's 32 00:01:29,959 --> 00:01:35,520 Speaker 5: a it's kind of a standard festival setting or layout, 33 00:01:35,720 --> 00:01:39,400 Speaker 5: you know, all with live entertainment and music. But it's 34 00:01:39,440 --> 00:01:42,080 Speaker 5: for people in the lifestyle. It's there for swingers, it's 35 00:01:42,120 --> 00:01:46,640 Speaker 5: there for basically anybody that's kind of LGBT or queer. Yeah, 36 00:01:46,680 --> 00:01:48,920 Speaker 5: the alternative lifestyle as we call it. 37 00:01:49,280 --> 00:01:52,240 Speaker 3: Okay, all right, we'll get into more about what goes 38 00:01:52,240 --> 00:01:54,320 Speaker 3: on inside the festival very soon, but first let's talk 39 00:01:54,320 --> 00:01:56,440 Speaker 3: about the location. It was held in a small village 40 00:01:56,480 --> 00:01:58,080 Speaker 3: in Lincolnshire, England this year. 41 00:01:58,360 --> 00:01:58,480 Speaker 2: Now. 42 00:01:58,480 --> 00:02:00,560 Speaker 3: I've been doing my research like a good unalist. There 43 00:02:00,560 --> 00:02:03,880 Speaker 3: are claims online that are passed events. You've had complaints 44 00:02:03,880 --> 00:02:07,120 Speaker 3: from locals about loud moaning coming from the campgrounds. 45 00:02:07,120 --> 00:02:07,880 Speaker 2: True or false? 46 00:02:09,960 --> 00:02:13,480 Speaker 5: True that yes, we have had that. False that is yeah, 47 00:02:13,560 --> 00:02:17,440 Speaker 5: it's basically a lie. Are we are three miles away 48 00:02:17,440 --> 00:02:21,520 Speaker 5: from the nearest village. So if anybody can scream that loud, 49 00:02:21,680 --> 00:02:22,359 Speaker 5: that's a scream. 50 00:02:23,480 --> 00:02:26,760 Speaker 2: Someone's having a good time if they're screaming that loud. Yeah. 51 00:02:26,880 --> 00:02:29,760 Speaker 5: Yeah, we get a lot of kind of like negative 52 00:02:29,880 --> 00:02:31,800 Speaker 5: press just because they don't know what it is. 53 00:02:32,200 --> 00:02:35,079 Speaker 3: Yeah, people fear what they don't understand, don't they. Swingethon 54 00:02:35,320 --> 00:02:38,239 Speaker 3: is a three day festival. It's in an enclosed campground, 55 00:02:38,320 --> 00:02:40,320 Speaker 3: so it's all very private. It's about four hundred and 56 00:02:40,360 --> 00:02:43,519 Speaker 3: seventy Ozzie dollars for a couple's ticket. Singles can also 57 00:02:43,560 --> 00:02:45,480 Speaker 3: buy tickets. How many people rocked up. 58 00:02:45,360 --> 00:02:45,960 Speaker 2: This year. 59 00:02:47,320 --> 00:02:50,040 Speaker 5: To shy over a thousand people far rh. 60 00:02:49,840 --> 00:02:51,640 Speaker 2: And was that kind of an even spread between men 61 00:02:51,720 --> 00:02:52,120 Speaker 2: and women. 62 00:02:53,600 --> 00:02:56,920 Speaker 5: No, we have like mainly couples, and this year we 63 00:02:57,000 --> 00:03:02,960 Speaker 5: had just over around one hundred guys and about fifty 64 00:03:03,080 --> 00:03:09,040 Speaker 5: sixty of the single women. So yeah, it's sort of 65 00:03:09,040 --> 00:03:10,080 Speaker 5: mainly couples mainly. 66 00:03:10,560 --> 00:03:13,760 Speaker 3: What's kind of the age bracket of people attending swinger. 67 00:03:13,520 --> 00:03:16,919 Speaker 5: Thon We worked out the other day the average age 68 00:03:16,919 --> 00:03:18,639 Speaker 5: in the field this year was thirty seven. 69 00:03:19,200 --> 00:03:22,200 Speaker 2: Wow, okay, that is younger than I would have thought. 70 00:03:22,800 --> 00:03:27,400 Speaker 5: People think that. Yeah, the youngest that we're let in 71 00:03:28,040 --> 00:03:30,440 Speaker 5: year twenty one, and I think this year the oldest 72 00:03:30,480 --> 00:03:32,640 Speaker 5: guy was sixty nine. 73 00:03:33,520 --> 00:03:36,520 Speaker 2: Sixty nine, of course he was sixty nine. That's perfect. 74 00:03:37,480 --> 00:03:40,080 Speaker 3: Do attendees have to prove that they're healthy and not 75 00:03:40,160 --> 00:03:42,200 Speaker 3: carrying any STDs or anything like that. 76 00:03:43,080 --> 00:03:45,000 Speaker 5: It's something I'm working on, but it's just a bit 77 00:03:45,000 --> 00:03:47,640 Speaker 5: of an odd barrier. At the minute. We'd asked them 78 00:03:48,120 --> 00:03:50,520 Speaker 5: just to do like the standard tests. This year more 79 00:03:50,560 --> 00:03:53,640 Speaker 5: than half of the people did it. But for next year, 80 00:03:53,680 --> 00:03:58,760 Speaker 5: I'm trying to work with a testing company which we 81 00:03:58,800 --> 00:04:00,200 Speaker 5: can get everybody test did. 82 00:04:00,480 --> 00:04:03,680 Speaker 3: Yeah. Nice, All right, Let's talk about what goes on 83 00:04:03,800 --> 00:04:07,520 Speaker 3: inside that festival. Starting with the attire. I imagine you 84 00:04:07,640 --> 00:04:10,840 Speaker 3: see some pretty wild outfits that people are wearing. What 85 00:04:10,880 --> 00:04:11,840 Speaker 3: are they getting around in. 86 00:04:14,160 --> 00:04:15,960 Speaker 5: Basically anything from the birthday suit. 87 00:04:16,480 --> 00:04:16,600 Speaker 3: Ye. 88 00:04:17,240 --> 00:04:22,000 Speaker 5: So we have like like Friday night, it was fancy 89 00:04:22,040 --> 00:04:25,719 Speaker 5: dress night, so there was all sorts of weird and 90 00:04:25,760 --> 00:04:29,960 Speaker 5: wondrous outfits, and then lots of lights at lingerie and 91 00:04:28,760 --> 00:04:31,080 Speaker 5: all that sort of stuff in the middle. 92 00:04:31,120 --> 00:04:33,640 Speaker 3: Really, there are a bunch of events over the three 93 00:04:33,720 --> 00:04:36,080 Speaker 3: days at Swingerthon. Can you run me through some of 94 00:04:36,120 --> 00:04:37,200 Speaker 3: the standout events? 95 00:04:37,480 --> 00:04:41,360 Speaker 5: So we have all sorts we have like live entertainment, 96 00:04:42,080 --> 00:04:44,160 Speaker 5: like I say, we have a fancy dress one night, 97 00:04:44,920 --> 00:04:48,799 Speaker 5: we had a UV party the next night. The first 98 00:04:48,880 --> 00:04:51,280 Speaker 5: night is more of like a social night, and then 99 00:04:51,320 --> 00:04:53,520 Speaker 5: there's lots and lots of stuff that goes on. We 100 00:04:53,560 --> 00:05:01,240 Speaker 5: have like sort of like kink workshops, these live talks, demonstrations, 101 00:05:02,440 --> 00:05:03,600 Speaker 5: there's all sorts of stuff. 102 00:05:03,880 --> 00:05:06,680 Speaker 3: When we talk about live shows and demonstrations, can you 103 00:05:06,720 --> 00:05:08,080 Speaker 3: tell me more about those things. 104 00:05:08,839 --> 00:05:12,599 Speaker 5: Some of the demonstrations might be like flogging or wax 105 00:05:12,680 --> 00:05:17,760 Speaker 5: play or rope play, even down to pole dancing classes. 106 00:05:17,800 --> 00:05:21,880 Speaker 5: We have burlesque classes. We are a kind of like 107 00:05:21,920 --> 00:05:27,560 Speaker 5: a massage ceremony wherever it was massages in people and 108 00:05:27,600 --> 00:05:31,279 Speaker 5: obviously learning all all the arts of massage. So yeah, 109 00:05:31,279 --> 00:05:34,440 Speaker 5: it's quite educational as well as it is like funny, 110 00:05:34,440 --> 00:05:35,000 Speaker 5: if you know what I mean. 111 00:05:35,080 --> 00:05:36,159 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, I've read that. 112 00:05:36,240 --> 00:05:38,960 Speaker 3: One of the events this caught my eye is butt 113 00:05:38,960 --> 00:05:41,680 Speaker 3: plug bingo. 114 00:05:41,560 --> 00:05:43,840 Speaker 2: How does that work? 115 00:05:43,880 --> 00:05:48,040 Speaker 5: A friend of mine which owns Yes, she's got her 116 00:05:48,080 --> 00:05:51,719 Speaker 5: own club of North she invented this a few years 117 00:05:51,720 --> 00:05:55,760 Speaker 5: ago and it's the wildest thing ever. We did play 118 00:05:55,800 --> 00:05:57,800 Speaker 5: it for the first time this year at the festival. 119 00:05:58,000 --> 00:06:01,640 Speaker 2: How does my plug bingo work? Run me through it? 120 00:06:01,640 --> 00:06:05,880 Speaker 5: It's not as it's not as as wild as you think. 121 00:06:05,920 --> 00:06:09,040 Speaker 5: It's just a fancy name for bingos and you win 122 00:06:09,120 --> 00:06:10,320 Speaker 5: a book plug at the end of it. 123 00:06:12,320 --> 00:06:14,479 Speaker 3: That's a great idea for Christmas Day. I'll bring that 124 00:06:14,560 --> 00:06:18,120 Speaker 3: up next. We're going to take a quick break and 125 00:06:18,200 --> 00:06:20,520 Speaker 3: we'll be back with more goss from Swingethon in just 126 00:06:20,520 --> 00:06:20,919 Speaker 3: a moment. 127 00:06:27,200 --> 00:06:27,760 Speaker 2: Welcome back. 128 00:06:27,839 --> 00:06:30,520 Speaker 3: I am chatting to Matt, one of the organizers of Swingethon, 129 00:06:30,640 --> 00:06:33,200 Speaker 3: which was held recently in the UK. All right, Matt, 130 00:06:33,240 --> 00:06:35,279 Speaker 3: let's not beat around the bush. I imagine there's a 131 00:06:35,279 --> 00:06:37,800 Speaker 3: fair bit of hanky panky taking place at the festival 132 00:06:37,839 --> 00:06:41,120 Speaker 3: where a couple of swap partners or participating group sex. 133 00:06:41,279 --> 00:06:42,000 Speaker 2: Is that accurate? 134 00:06:42,279 --> 00:06:46,160 Speaker 5: Yeah, definitely, either the all or sort of mingle back 135 00:06:46,200 --> 00:06:48,640 Speaker 5: at their own covens or tents or yeah, these or 136 00:06:48,680 --> 00:06:50,440 Speaker 5: the play tents, which obviously we provide. 137 00:06:50,839 --> 00:06:53,640 Speaker 3: Oh okay, so there are kind of sanctioned tents where 138 00:06:53,760 --> 00:06:55,680 Speaker 3: couples can go if they're interested in playing. 139 00:06:56,120 --> 00:06:58,719 Speaker 5: Yes, yeah, it's all controlled. You know, we have like 140 00:06:59,760 --> 00:07:04,880 Speaker 5: this group tense, there's bi tense, there's voyeur tents. You know, 141 00:07:05,680 --> 00:07:08,080 Speaker 5: there's sort of all different tents for everybody, if that 142 00:07:08,120 --> 00:07:08,560 Speaker 5: makes sense. 143 00:07:08,720 --> 00:07:12,640 Speaker 3: It sounds intense for you personally. What was the highlight 144 00:07:12,680 --> 00:07:14,120 Speaker 3: of the festival for you this year? 145 00:07:15,240 --> 00:07:17,800 Speaker 5: It's an odd festival for me because I'm working twenty 146 00:07:17,800 --> 00:07:22,240 Speaker 5: four to seven, obviously overseeing everything, obviously trying to have 147 00:07:22,320 --> 00:07:27,000 Speaker 5: a good time as well. I would say the entertainment 148 00:07:27,000 --> 00:07:29,680 Speaker 5: this year was another level. We had some really good bands, 149 00:07:29,760 --> 00:07:33,640 Speaker 5: some really good DJs, and it were just like, yeah, 150 00:07:33,720 --> 00:07:34,800 Speaker 5: it was a different level. 151 00:07:35,720 --> 00:07:38,600 Speaker 3: And how did you get into the swinging lifestyle? If 152 00:07:38,640 --> 00:07:40,640 Speaker 3: I can ask, like, how did you know this was 153 00:07:40,680 --> 00:07:41,520 Speaker 3: something you were keen on? 154 00:07:44,000 --> 00:07:47,640 Speaker 5: We just like it because of the social atmosphere and like, yeah, 155 00:07:47,680 --> 00:07:52,480 Speaker 5: the community. There's never no trouble at these events. It's 156 00:07:52,520 --> 00:07:55,360 Speaker 5: just a social aspect that we really like that. You know, Yeah, 157 00:07:55,360 --> 00:07:58,960 Speaker 5: you can be free and safe and be yourself, you know, 158 00:07:59,000 --> 00:07:59,840 Speaker 5: with no judgments. 159 00:08:00,120 --> 00:08:03,920 Speaker 3: Yeah, now you speak of no judgments, obviously they're they're 160 00:08:03,920 --> 00:08:05,680 Speaker 3: going to be some people listening right now who think 161 00:08:05,720 --> 00:08:08,000 Speaker 3: that swingers are all sex craved perverts. 162 00:08:08,080 --> 00:08:09,720 Speaker 2: What do you say to those people? 163 00:08:10,280 --> 00:08:13,520 Speaker 5: Not at all? Even at the weekend, you know, quite 164 00:08:13,560 --> 00:08:15,800 Speaker 5: a few people was not actually there to swing, you know. 165 00:08:16,000 --> 00:08:18,520 Speaker 5: They go there for like body confidence, They go there 166 00:08:18,600 --> 00:08:21,400 Speaker 5: just to be around like minded people. It's not all 167 00:08:21,520 --> 00:08:24,160 Speaker 5: about the swinging, you know. That's kind of the bonus bit, 168 00:08:25,880 --> 00:08:28,520 Speaker 5: you know. So it's yeah, it's not what people think 169 00:08:28,560 --> 00:08:30,800 Speaker 5: that people just turn up and all start swinging. There's 170 00:08:30,840 --> 00:08:32,760 Speaker 5: lots of things to it. Over the last five years, 171 00:08:32,800 --> 00:08:36,760 Speaker 5: there's a lot of friendship's been made, you know, a 172 00:08:36,760 --> 00:08:39,800 Speaker 5: lot of people have left and they've got so much 173 00:08:39,840 --> 00:08:43,120 Speaker 5: more confidence than when they started. It's not all just 174 00:08:43,200 --> 00:08:43,719 Speaker 5: about that. 175 00:08:44,160 --> 00:08:46,400 Speaker 3: Well, if any ossies are listening right now and they 176 00:08:46,440 --> 00:08:48,360 Speaker 3: want to find out more, perhaps they want to attend 177 00:08:48,400 --> 00:08:49,480 Speaker 3: swinging On next year. 178 00:08:49,520 --> 00:08:51,559 Speaker 2: Where can they find out all the details? 179 00:08:52,160 --> 00:08:54,960 Speaker 5: Yeah, it's swingefon dot UK, swing upon dot UK. 180 00:08:55,320 --> 00:08:57,760 Speaker 3: Matt Cole, thank you so much for taking the time 181 00:08:57,840 --> 00:08:59,920 Speaker 3: to tell us about this fascinating festival. 182 00:09:00,040 --> 00:09:01,480 Speaker 2: Maybe I'll bump into you there one day. 183 00:09:02,200 --> 00:09:04,440 Speaker 5: Ha ha. Yeah, you've got a freedomvite. 184 00:09:05,040 --> 00:09:07,440 Speaker 2: Yes, save me four hundred bucks. Thanks Matt. 185 00:09:07,720 --> 00:09:08,640 Speaker 5: Cheers mate. 186 00:09:08,880 --> 00:09:12,199 Speaker 3: Thank you very much for listening to today's adults only episode. 187 00:09:11,880 --> 00:09:14,080 Speaker 2: Or from the Newsroom. I will shout to you again tomorrow. 188 00:09:15,240 --> 00:09:18,439 Speaker 1: Follow us, subscribe to from the Newsroom wherever you get 189 00:09:18,480 --> 00:09:19,280 Speaker 1: your podcasts.