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FIRST STEPS FOR THE BIG MEET - with an update post from me

hi everybody, i've spent a wee while today jotting down lots of notes and thinking about our big meet. It's great that you're all happy for me to arrange it, and I'm grateful for the offers of help which J

One thing that I MUST say (I apologize if it in anyway sounds blunt) is that this event will be pretty large and quite tricky to organize given the numbers, and the fact we are dotted all over the place. What I aim to do is come up with a date, a time, a location.... And on the whole, an event which will be good and practical for the majority.
Please understand I won't be able to cater for every bodies individual wants and needs, and in some way, we will probably all have to put in some effort or make sacrifices if we are wanting to come along. A lot of us will have to travel, dates might be a bit dodgy for some, each baby has a routine which could easily get out of sync if traveling to come to a big meet - so we really need to try and stay open minded and tolerant of ideas which may not suit us individually to a T. If it's going to happen everybody needs to try and be flexible.

What I've got in my head is a really fun, exciting day, loads of kids having a great time, us ladies having a big gossip and a great time playing with the kids.... and of course the OH's looking rather overwhelmed and flustered by the kids/baggage/traveling! Lol. I hope that I can arrange this in real life for us.

As part of my notes, I've come up with a list of steps I need to take, the first two steps are the following

* GATHER NUMBERS

This is going to be vital for all of my planning to come

*COST

None of this can be arranged without money - where is this money going to come from?

So girls, what would really be fantastic, is if you can hit the reply button and tell me (hypothetically as of yet) if you DID come.... Who would you be bringing... just a number of persons (lets keep this simple) just to give me a rough idea to begin. Also.... What are your suggestions about cost... I've been toying with the following ideas that have been suggested but I'm sure we can come up with more....

*we each buy a ???????family ticket??????? - I have no idea what it would cost... but the idea being, these tickets will cover the cost of everything - so technically the cost is split equally between every member that wants to come

*we make it a charity even and get some sort of funding/sponsorship to cover costs such as the venue, and then we buy a ticket - for which the proceeds will go to a chosen charity.

So hit your reply buttons now with a number and ANY cost suggestions what so ever (cost is a biggy!)

Love linzi XX



[Modified by: linziMc on 03 February 2009 19:41:08 ]
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Replies

  • I'd love to come, and would bring OH, myself and 2 kiddies (13 weeks and 16 months)

    Money isn't really a problem, everyone is in a differenct finacial situation so what might be a lot for someone may not be to much for others.

    How much is this family ticket? Would it be the same cost if it was just 2 people going i.e 1 LO and 1 mummy, or different if more people go?

    xx
  • Could we not book a indoor play centre? Just for us lot and split the cost equally between every person coming? Someone would need to pay in advance though,

    This is gonna be very tricky to organise!

  • Could we not book a indoor play centre? Just for us lot and split the cost equally between every person coming? Someone would need to pay in advance though, So maybe not!

    This is gonna be very tricky to organise!

  • I've not been to any of the baby shows but could we use an existing 'event' and just add ourselves as a type of fringe meeting?
    Otherwise could we approach somewhere LIKE alton towers to see if they could accomodate us.
    Alternatively to keep costs down could we arrange to meet in say Hyde Park for a picnic so everyone caters for themselves and cost of bouncy castle etc could be met by Prima baby????
    I'd probably try and come with 2 kids and oh if poss.
  • ill be there lo 20 weeks in tow and husband moneys not an issue!
  • My OH is a bit worried that he will be the only Daddy there (if I can persude him to come!!) so could we get a figure of rough numbers of Daddy's that will be attending to - so he won't have to feel over whelmed with ALL the women!! :lol: :P :lol: x
  • My OH is a bit worried that he will be the only Daddy there (if I can persude him to come!!) so could we get a figure of rough numbers of Daddy's that will be attending to - so he won't have to feel over whelmed with ALL the women!! :lol: :P :lol: x
  • yep yep me, ill have 2 kids 5 years and 7 months, and my other half possibly.

    Maybe we could send an email to Prma and suggest to them, the pinic suggestion sounds good, i could do some research if you want, you never know it could be a feature in their magazine, cost yeah it depends but charity event is the way to go.
  • There would probably be me, oh, Millie (2 1/2) and Barney (7 months)
    Don't mind paying but I'd MUCH rather the proceeds went to charity.
    xx
  • 3 of us me, Charlie, OH! (and bump!) x


    :lol: I'm bribing my OH by offering to go and see HIS family! :lol:
  • there would probably be me and lo and if me and oh - ifwe sort ourselves out. not fussed bout money, il sort somethin.xxx
  • i'll just add - judging by the number of people who replied to the original thread, bearing in mind it will be them, plus possibly OH and other children - there are going to be a LOT of us, and so we really will have to think about the venue and type of event very hard. but not quite yet! remember, people are going to be travelling for hours to come to this meet, so as much as a picnic would be lovely in theory - what if the weather turned bad? plus do we really want to spend ages sat outside in the elements (even heat) with babies? it really needs to be indoors i think, or somewhere which has the best of both worlds, an indoor plus outdoor area.

    The "event" is going to have to be long enough and entertaining enough and also "different" enough, for people to arse themselves to travel from all over the country - so i was thinking of making a lot more of it than just a play area type thing,.... as it could well be a one off meet, a once in a blue moon oppertunity for everybody to get together.

    BUT, this is the reason i really would just like a number from you all to start. if i'm going to do it it needs to be done in steps and kept as simple as poss, we can't really think about venue's etc until we know numbers.

    What i meant by cost, wasn't individual travel expenses or what have you, i was thinking more along the lines of booking an indoor venue, some type of function room, having some sort of entertainment for the kids, whether it be hiring a bouncy castle or a magician for older ones, having some sort of buffet/spread on for the grown ups - that's the expense that i'm thinking we need to cover. I obviously can't go and book things up using my own bank account - not knowing if i'll get it back from somewhere..... get me?

    I personally would love to meet you all, really. BUT... i don't want to sit on a train for 3hours or so and drag my OH along, if it's not going to be a fantastic event i'm going to! i hope you agree.

    So anyway, i'm waffling - but please just a number, and if you have any ideas about cost then chuck those in too

    XXX
  • depends when it is - if its as late away as Oct I could make visits south easier (were away for a week in sheffield in oct) so there would be me Oh and 2 lo's, if its any other time It would prob be me, and 2 los, or just me, depending on location and dates.....

    costs... personally wouldnt want to have to pay too much as i can see the travel etc costs being quite high for us/me....

    xx
  • 4

    As for money - I'm clueless!

  • I would love to come, with my lo (19 weeks at the moment) and my husband would come too. Cost isn't too much of an issue, and i also love the idea of making it benefit a charity in some way - we've also got a much greater chance of getting the magazine involved if we do that.

    Some venues will offer complementary/reduced rates for bookings if they are in aid of charity so the charity benefits more. Obviously i know we need to decide costs to determine a venue, and a venue to determine costs, so a bit of a viscious circle really, but this could be worth bearing in mind when contacting places x
  • Is there an area yet?? x
  • I think it would be me and my youngest 2 as i would leave hubby at home with my eldest being at school. He also works funny shifts and is a miserable git that is never very sociable even though its a shame we do not live central as he runs a club in london so we would have had a venue for free!!!

    So for me it would be me george who is 6 months and bella who is 2! Money is not a problem.

    I will also suggest not just for selfish reason because tue, wed and thurs are best for me but also travelling wise I know mondays and fridays are a bit of a nightmare.

    We could look into a community halls and places like that as sometimes they rent out halls for a smaller fee. xxxxxxxx
  • hey hunni,

    Firstly you are fab at this hey!!

    I would love to come we do live in Germany though as hubby is in the army so he may or may not be able to make it. We do come back to the uk now and again to stay I am here at the moment till I pass my diving test eeeek!!

    I think doing it for a charity is great, prob best to come up with a location first then look at the venues in that area??
    So numbers - 3 if hubby's isn't away anywhere stupid
    2 If he is xxx my little one is 20 weeks xxx
  • sara 1984 no location yet that will be arranged shortly but i need an indication of numbers first. just hypothetically - you're not committing yourself by giving your number don't worry image

    some really good suggestions everybody... really thinking a charity event is the way to go but we'll wait and see....

    please trust me, theres a method to my madness
  • 3 of us - me, hubby & charlie.

    Are happy to pay to come. What about somewhere like a leisure centre or town hall - somewhere with a big space?

    LinziMc - looks like you're doing a fab job so far! xx
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