Charity Helping Brits Have Better Sex

Couple in bed

Couple in bed

Although 50 Shades Of Grey is steaming things up in the bedroom for many couples, not everyone is comfortable enough to walk into a sex shop or go online and order a few toys to spice things up.

But now the Family Planning Association (FPA) has launched its ‘Good’ sex shop to challenge the ‘Bad And Ugly’ of the UK sex industry.

The 82-year-old sexual health charity is most famous for establishing the UK’s network of contraception clinics, but it is now branching out and selling sex toys, games, DVDs and other products online to help improve the nation’s sex lives.

Their website www.desireandpleasure.co.uk is being promoted as a ‘good’ and ethical alternative to, what it believes are, the ‘bad and ugly’ practices of the growing number of online sex shops. What’s more, all profits will go to the FPA to support its charitable work across the UK.

“The internet has created a new era of freedom for people to buy sex products and toys” explains, Terry Hawkins, Business development manager, FPA. “Just as innovations like the Kindle and downloadable books have kick-started the 50 Shades of Grey phenomenon, people also like the anonymity and choice that the internet offers for exploring their sexual desires. However, we’re increasingly concerned by some of the common practices in this sector and believe there is a need for safe and trusted place where people can shop with confidence.”

The practices on FPA’s hit list include ‘online remarketing’ of sex products. This targets people with explicit advertising even when they are no longer browsing sites of a sexual nature, potentially exposing children using a family computer to inappropriate content. The FPA is also boycotting products with offensive names and packaging or those that have violent or aggressive connotations.

It also changes any product descriptions that it feels are unnecessarily explicit. The site also ensures that customers have easy access to expert advice and support through the FPA helpline, on how to use the products safely and any questions or concerns relating to their sexual health.

[picture credit: Noemí León Albert]
  • Miss B

    Belinda Wanis, aka Miss B, is a Belle About Town who likes to bring a little bit of style into every aspect of her life. An experienced journalist with over 20 years in the industry she turned to the web, creating Belle About Town in early 2010, to fill a gap for tech-savvy stylish women who want the best life has to offer at their fingertips. She loves a decadent cocktail bar, a beautifully cut dress, cultural getaways, quality over quantity and is partial to Asian-fusion food. A globetrotter, who has lived in Australia, the UK and Denmark, she enjoys holidaying in the sun and you can often find her on a beach in Thailand or on shopping breaks in Sydney or New York. But her first love is, of course, London!