Hey everyone, just thought I’d recap the meeting we had and show pictures!
My day started with a train ride into London with my husband (who isn’t attending the Doctor Who stuff - he’s not a fan - but came along to go to a boat show at the same time).
I brought with me 1000 leaflets about the site. When I got these printed I had no idea how much 1000 leaflets weighs - instant regret lol. I split them into 2 halves and took 500 with me on Saturday, the rest left in my case at the hotel.
We checked into the hotel but our rooms were not ready, so we left our bags but I carried around my TARDIS shoulder bag with me and lots of leaflets - my back would really ache later!
First stop, I wanted to check out Forbidden Planet - not been there for years - and I also thought it would be a good place to leave some leaflets. I went in, and I was pretty nervous but asked the staff if I could leave some leaflets on the counter. They directed me to a stand at the end of the till and said I could leave some there. I put some in, at the very front, wondering if anyone even looks at this 
I had a look at the Doctor Who section - quite small unfortunately but loads of great stuff there. I already ordered some pins from them online so didn’t get anything today, but have my eye on a UNIT pin. There was another counter here and I asked again, but he just told me about the stand at the front. Foiled!
So we left here, and wondered how to kill another few hours, well Harrods is just around the corner from the event so we went there. Had a look around. Went to get a drink and a snack, and as we were looking at some menus a security guard comes towards me, pointing at my bag. My immediate thought was “oh no, my bag is overstuffed with leaflets, I bet it looks suspicious and he’s going to search my bag”. But was pleasantly surprised when he said “I love your bag, where did you get it?!”. He’s a fan! I told him it was an official Doctor Who bag and I just got it from Amazon, I told him about the event (and that there were still tickets for Sunday - he said he would try and make it!) and then I handed him a leaflet. Maybe he has joined? Hello!
We looked around a little more until it was time for me to get going and walked to the Hall.
At first there was no-one there but myself. I wasn’t allowed in without a ticket. We were over an hour early, but that’s what it said on the website.
As people started to arrive, I handed out some of the leaflets, feeling a bit foolish! This is not my forté! But I was getting more confident.
Eventually, @deltaandthebannermen arrived - so good to finally meet him! - with his eldest, @NonbinaryAroace. Delta took some leaflets and started handing them out too. At one point, I was offering leaflets and people were telling me they already had one 
Eventually, Delta joined the queue (next to Christel Dee! I was a bit star struck by seeing her, and she was talking to someone, so I didn’t get a chance to say hi. But she was holding one of our leaflets!), and so it was all up to me - the queue was growing, and I just walked down it, with a captive audience, and handed them out!
I had a little explanation I’d say as I handed them over, and I changed it up now and then so people who overheard weren’t getting repeat information. I pointed out that there is a competition for a Big Finish voucher running - that certainly got people interested!
Out of the over 100 that I must have handed out, only 1 person refused a leaflet (
), and 3 people said they were already on the site! Although most of them didn’t remember their usernames, so I guess they aren’t active on the forum.
I got lots of compliments about it, it was awesome! It was getting really hot in the sun, and eventually I ran out of queue.
Then I agreed to meet @ThetaSigmaEarChef at the nearby station, to help them find their way. For a moment I thought they weren’t coming because the train was late, but eventually I found them! It was great to meet them, and we walked together to the show.
By now, everyone was in, so I met my other half and had a rest and a drink, and then it was time for me to go to the pub! I walked there, again it wasn’t far.
I arrived at The Antelope pub, and asked about our table which @deltaandthebannermen had booked. It was the one at the very entrance. There were 3 people sitting there with drinks, and the waiter had to ask them to move, then he cleaned the table and I sat there on this huge table, on my own, with those people glaring at me because I’d made them move, and felt very sheepish haha.
But soon @JayPea arrived, and made me feel a bit better! It was great to meet her, and we chatted about the site and about Doctor Who in general. I actually realised that I’d never really chatted about this stuff to anyone who was actually interested before 
Then @joerack turned up, hadn’t seen him around the forums much but was good to be introduced, and then more and more people showed up, including some that were surprises!
Here’s a couple of pictures! The first was taken by @DancingQueen1999:
Left to right:
@JayPea @joerack @Shayleen @monkeyshaver (who said he instantly regrets his username, having to say it out loud!) @deltaandthebannermen (far right, sitting back: @MarkyMark), @NonbinaryAroace , @peribrown , me (@shauny), and @ThetaSigmaEarChef
Then I took this one to get more people in:
I didn’t catch the names of the first 2 people, and don’t believe they are on the site yet, then there is @DancingQueen1999 , @1stvamp (surprise visit!), @BSCTDrayden , and @JayPea again!
There were some other Whovians in the pub as well, including Christel Dee (who is a friend-of-a-friend for @deltaandthebannermen), and we stayed there for ages drinking and chatting. Oh and remember the leaflets I left in Forbidden Planet? One person (I didn’t catch her name, sorry) came into the pub carrying one of our leaflets that she’d picked up in Forbidden Planet! It did work! 
I handed out free TARDIS Guide badges to every member who was there! (You’ll be able to get yours soon!)
@JayPea and @BSCTDrayden left to see the evening show, and took some leaflets - then came running back because they ran out, and took the rest! By the end of the evening I had no leaflets left! Woohoo.
It was such a fun evening, we all agreed we should do one again sometime. Maybe near Christmas? We need to get people over from abroad as well!!
As for the actual show? I haven’t seen it yet, but the others that did said it was really good - there is another thread for that and I believe some people have reviewed it already. So sorry for banning spoiler chat during the meet, but some of us hadn’t seen it yet! I’m seeing it this afternoon, and hoping to meet up with @JayPea again if she’s free to hand out some more leaflets, and also to meet @15thDoctor !
Everyone else who attended, please feel free to add your thoughts below, and everyone who didn’t - we hope you can come next time!!
.