[debnjohn]

Just a quick note to say a big THANKYOU to everyone who turned up today and (IMO) made it a very successful and thoroughly enjoyable first meeting.
In no particular order, thanks to:
Mark, Anne, Sharon, Stuart, Simon, Emily, Jennie, Rob, Dan, Victoria, Paul and Anna
and in the kids corner:
Emma, Joe, Finn, Katie, Andrew, Aaron and Rebecca ( :oops: sorry I didn't get up that end of the table to catch names ).

Hopefully this will be the first of many meets, but with folks leaving as soon as the end of April & mid-May we'll need to recruit some more!

John & Debbie
Apologies for my camerawork. If any of the images offend then please PM me and I'll remove them ASAP.

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/john.woodrow/Anna.Emma.Dan.Victoria.jpg
Anna, Dan, Emma, Victoria
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/john.woodrow/Debbie.Paul.jpg
Debbie, Paul
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/john.woodrow/Emily.Anne.jpg
Emily, Anne
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/john.woodrow/Emma.Anna.jpg
Emma, Anna
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/john.woodrow/Joe.Stuart.jpg
Joe, Stuart
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/john.woodrow/Katie.Rob.Jennie.Finn.jpg
Katie, Rob, Jennie, Finn
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/john.woodrow/Mark.jpg
Mark
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/john.woodrow/Simon.jpg
Simon
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/john.woodrow/Finn.jpg
and the mighty Finn !

[Timbo]

That was a good start, well done everyone. Hope you all had a great time.

[kiwidollie]

Glad to hear you al had a great time.

It's priceless being able to talk to people in the same situation isn't it.

I personally don't know what I'd do without this forum.

Big Cheer for everyone on here YAY!!!!!!

[Danpoll]

Similar sentiments that John mentions, despite being at the end of our UK immigration journey it was still a great afternoon and very helpfull. Cheers evreyone and a pleasure to meet you all.

Best of luck


Dan & Victoria
P.S please PM all present so I have the southern Posse's contacts

[markkellaway]

Likewise, it was great to meet everyone, and to hear and share views. I hope we are all at least as keen as a result, I know we are! :nice1

John, do you think you could have got any closer? :wah

Cheers,

Mark, Anne & AJ. :P

[Diny]

Congratulations guys - sounds like your first meeting was a success. believe me - they just get better.

Great pics - but can we have some indication on who's who?

Diny

[Danpoll]

I am the great looking one Diny


Side profile is not my best shot


Dan

[Jennie & Rob]

Thanks so much Deb & John for organising this. Only sorry that the little one prevented us from getting to talk to the other end of the table but we enjoyed our chats at our end. Thanks to Ellies' parents for the loan of her for Katie!
The photographs should be censored in my opinion. Sorry Dan, but the really good looking one is that last picture.
Jennie & Rob

[Carol]

Sorry Dan, but the really good looking one is that last picture.
Jennie & Rob


agreed!!!!

ooooh cute enough to eat!
:mrgreen: mwah!

[Jennie & Rob]

Definately gonna like you Carol! :yes

[Kim39]

Congratulations to the SW crew from the NW crew :clap Hopefully it has a been a success and your thoughts will be for the next one. You soon realise that as soon as the first one is out of the way the next one comes along and everything fits in just right. No worrying as to numbers and faces. :nice1

As Diny has said it would be good to put names to those faces so come on don't be shy.

Good luck to the SE crew as well who are trying to get a meet off the ground.

Kim

[Jennie & Rob]

We are the family of four - Rob, Jennie, Katie and Finn with the particularly handsome Finn having his own photo at the end - he did his sign positioning himself.

[markkellaway]

I'm the one on my own in the blue shirt, shame John had to use that photo editor to stretch my forhead though! Anne is the one with her arms folded (her name label is a giveaway!) sat next to Emily. Emily's husband, Simon, is the other one on his own, you can see his name tag.

We were a little surprised at the omission of your own picture John, come on, don't be shy!!! :mrgreen:

Mark. :P

[debnjohn]

Congratulations guys - sounds like your first meeting was a success. believe me - they just get better.

Great pics - but can we have some indication on who's who?

Diny

Right click the picture for 'properties', names are in the title

[debnjohn]

We were a little surprised at the omission of your own picture John, come on, don't be shy!!! :mrgreen:

Mark. :P

Unfortunately the one picture of me was badly out of focus. So to make up for your stretched forehead, here's a picture of me & Deb looking gawky 18 months ago ...
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/john.woodrow/Deb.Hulk.John.jpg

John

[wilson182]

:wah Am really jealous, cause there was nothing like this when we were in the process of moving over here :wah

[debnjohn]

:wah Am really jealous, cause there was nothing like this when we were in the process of moving over here :wah

Yes, but you can set it up for all of us going to Christchurch (please !)
John.

[wilson182]

consider it done :nice1

[debnjohn]

consider it done :nice1

Well I'll be over in Christchurch next Sunday(17th) for 3 weeks, you've got a little while to organise something ! (It's my birthday on 20th, nothing too extravagant please :cool )

All joking aside, I think it will be excellent to get together,once emigrated, all those destined for a common destination such as CHC, NW crew meets SW crew !

John.

[freeflyer]

Hi to everyone that we met at the meeting.
Emma and I really enjoyed it, for the short time that we were there.
It was great to hear other peoples plans, and meet some 'real people' from the forum.

Thank you Deb & John for organising it , you did a great job & Good Luck with your recce trip. :nice1
Anna

[Simon & Emily]

OK, here goes - hopefully a picture of Aaron and Rebecca
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y145/emilysimon/AaronandRebecca.jpg

If this doesn't work, I give up - I've been trying to do this all evening! (not very technical - you may have guessed :laugh :laugh )

Just wanted to say we thought it was great to get together with others who are in the same situation, and we look forward to the next one.

Thanks for organising it John and Debbie,

Emily and Simon

[Jennie & Rob]

What cute children they are - and even better in real life. :yes

Sorry we did not get much chance to talk. Good luck with the kitchen plans......

[leslie]

sorry we missed it and glad all went well.

[Babette & Andy]

So pleased for you guys that you managed a get together too :nice1 As my fellow NW crew above have already said, our regualr meetings make all the difference in this lengthy, trying process of making our dreams come true.

Wonderful to see your photo's, looks like a lot of fun was had at what looks to have been a wonderful location :clap

So when's the next one???

Babette

[jo b]

Right then Chaps

As we have already discovered that meeting up can spur us all on, we need to keep encouraging new comers to keep up the Uk meets BUT....... what I would like to propose is an annual emigratenz meet in NZ for everyone maybe over a weekend camping, so we can catch up on stories etc.

I am up for it, although I am not in NZ yet I will happily ornganise when there.

Jo

[debnjohn]

Right then Chaps

As we have already discovered that meeting up can spur us all on, we need to keep encouraging new comers to keep up the Uk meets BUT....... what I would like to propose is an annual emigratenz meet in NZ for everyone maybe over a weekend camping, so we can catch up on stories etc.

I am up for it, although I am not in NZ yet I will happily ornganise when there.

Jo

Jo,
Great idea! Sometime aound Xmas in the 'summer' holidays ? Or whenever- I'm for it as well.
john
(sleepless in Swindon - NZIS interview in 3 hours)

[kiwidebs]

Jo, sounds like a fab idea!! And John, good luck with the interveiw - I'm sure you'll do just fine.

Debs

[wilson182]

That does sound like a fantastic idea.

John, Veronica is organising a night out for the 21st April, will you be able to make it?

[Carol]

What a great idea.....

Wellington is fairly central! ;) :laugh

[Diny]

Sounds like a stirling idea to me !!!!!!

Wellington is fairly central!

Oh but I'm sure folks would like a weekend away up in the Coromandel :laugh :nice1 :laugh :nice1

Count the Norrie clan in !!!!!!!

Diny

[Danpoll]

we could hire parlimemnt building in welly, and at the sime time have a national meet in the uk Brum would be pretty central there.


Dan

[jo b]

Yep

we'll find somewhere pretty central to everyone and if need be maybe rotate the locations over a period of years to ensure it is fair.

what would also be nice is to invite any Kiwi friends we have made along the way...you know true intergration.

Maybe book up a whole campsite for the weekend and get a group discount :nice1

Thanks for the positive feedback guys

Jo

[Babette & Andy]

Excellent idea Jo :nice1 We're definately up for it.
Can't wait to see you - seems ages since our mother's day get together. Enjoy the final week - BIG HUGS to Linda, Ali & little Lucy.

Babette

[Kim39]

Good idea Jo, yep- we'll be up for it WHEN we get there.

Kim