National Social Sat 18th August

Hash

After a few weeks of posting I'd love to meet some of the people on this forum, several of whom live at opposite ends of the country from me.

So...

How about a mass meet up on Saturday August 18th (had to specify date if not location), probably involving camping somewhere mid-way up the country and easily accessible e.g. Milton Keynes or Birmingham.

Daft idea?

Let me know if you're up for it, in which case I'll investigate venues. I'm assuming it would need to be child friendly, but let me have views on that as well, either's fine with me.

M...eldy

I think this was attempted in January ... of sorts!

Hash

Ugh! Camping in January???

fat face

I think it's a great idea, but there are drawbacks.

As Meldy says, it has been tried before. Earlier this year it was suggested having a black tie do (in MK funnily enough). Initial response was good, however when it came to coughing up the money, the response wasn't enough to make it a goer. The venue had already been booked and had to be cancelled.

Also, last year, it was suggested to meet around a race (New Forest Half and Full Marathon). Again, everyone said it was a great idea but no-one booked.

To organise it properly, would probably take 6 months and would be a fair bit of work.

I'd go though.

Dark Vader

To be fair, the January issue was a non-starter as it was poorly publicised and tried to work to an impossible timescale. Having less than two weeks from announcement to deadline for cancelling was just ridiculous...

Also.. mid-August is mid-holiday time for many people... that would cut out some people.

Personally, the idea is interesting but the feasibility of making it success is probably low.. there are are lots and lots of regular socials already and it is far more practical to just turn up at a few smaller functions to meet people rather than trying to get everyone together...

Hash

Okay, cheap and cheerful is another option. I live near a camping and caravaning club site in South Cambridgeshire. It's not as easily accessible as I had in mind, but it's a country pub that does decent food, has a proper camp site with all the facilities and I would be willing to ferry people to and from the either the nearest station (Ashwell and Morden) or the nearest decent sized stations (Milton Keynes or Luton), picking up the evening before and dropping back the next day, to allow for organisers's down downs, so you'd need a tent.

What do people think?

I shan't be offended if this isn't a goer, but it's worth a try!

Hash

X post DV, can feel plan B possibly brewing!

Hash

But if you can make it please bring cake O:)

Dark Vader

Sezz

DV, those facts are completely wrong about the January event, the organising group worked very hard, but I'm not saying anymore coz we've done it to death and I'm bored of it.


Sinewaif, great idea if you can pull it off. I'd be up for it (assuming we're free that weekend, but I'm not sure we are!!)

Hash

If a few people are up for it, I'll organise it.

I'm a new broom that hasn't had bristles worn off yet, but I understand the feeling from other stuff I've done

[Deleted User]

I would, but havnt got a tent!

If your keeping a list of possibilties, email me more dets when you know whats what and I'l let you know.

Running Bhoy

Hail Hail

Before you commit yourself to ferrying folks around, I'd suggest that you contact Coops10 (a very amiable forumite, if a wee bit leery, with a cracking line in disgusting jokes!) to get an idea of numbers that he had interested in the black tie affair. If memory serves me correctly, there were well over 100. So, do you really want to be doing all that driving? And would the pub be big enough to cope if you got that many coming? Think about trying to get the powers that be at RW Towers on board. Or get some nice big running company to "sponsor" the event.

Bobbis

tbh i was put off the black tie thing

cos it was expensive when you added up hotel / meal cost etc

and i SO don't do black tie things :-)


generally i think a mass get together is a great idea

Coops10

I'd go, but other than that, want nothing to do with it.

Hash

Yikes! Now I realise the scale of it and the amount of hassle that would be involved in organising it, I think I'd better put this down to a great idea in theory, but probably unworkable in practice, especially as we've got builders in all summer so my nerves are going to be in a fairly frazzled state as it is. I can just see me driving approx 100 people two and from Milton Keynes or Luton, that's 33 trips at about 30 or 40 miles each way.... Thanks for the much needed reality check. Mind you, I'd have got massive brownie points from the landlady of my local for bringing in that amount of business!

I really like the idea of prodding RW into organising something, though, I think I'll get e-mailing.

Hash

Or even to and from

Coops10

I'd be surprised if they got involved again to be honest after the last effort.

[Deleted User]

sinewaif, somebody is needed to organise the forum marquee at the Windsor half marathon in September.

Hash

Beebs you got mail.