I b'lieve that may qualify as a first for me - an association wit' me as a "big name".
Me, you'd have to PAY for, as I haven't the dime to fly out alone, much less wit' my wife (and I wouldn't be flyin' to the UK without my woman, 'cause that's just stupid for me).
Now, if you folks go crazy, find someone rich, and pay for my wife and I to fly over and help ya, I won't argue. It just seems extreme, expensive, and you'll do fine WITHOUT me. Wit' the crew you have there, already, you should have a fine event. Between commentary here and on the UK list (yes, I do attend to that list in my copious spare time) I figure you'll do wonderfully. No go pick a location, a date in which you can use it, and a local public place from which you can meet, and get together a group and host an event. Mail me for any questions. Mail the list for the Gatherings host, or have me do it for ya if you feel shy. I ain't shy. Never have been.
Just do it. Start with a social meeting, a munch of some sort in a pub on a weekend when everyone could attend, midday, like around late lunch. Coordinate wit' those that show for the gathering, checking to see who will help wit' details. You have ALL you need, already. Were I there, I'd be checking with the folks I wanted to meet for their appropriate day. Pick 4 or 5, suggest them in a mail to that list of people off the top of your head that you KNOW you wanna meet, and suggest a munch. All that needs is a date, time and location. SmashUK, BigJim, Mercy, Iceman, TicklesFemales (TF), TickleMad, Boba, JustMyFeet... Sounds like a good starting mob, yeah? Bet some of them can and will help. Iceman, BigJim and SmashUK have actively volunteered in one way or another already, in their enthusiasm to help.
Do. Just do it. Munch first. Arrange a gathering. Then have a munch AND a gathering. Munch in one spot, gathering directions from there. Simple, no? It's gonna happen in San Diego soon. It's happened in the states a number of times. You don't HAVE to start out at the play space. Helps folks show to socialize that AREN'T thinkin' they can show to a play space of any sort. Maybe they'll change their minds when they find that you're all safe as houses. Won't know 'til you MEET 'em. Gotta meet.
Dig? Good. Figured y'all would see what I was sayin'.
Munch. Coordinate Gathering. Hold second munch, with first official gathering. Brag here about how damned good that felt. More show. Americans go on holiday to coordinate wit' your events there. Becomes the UK answer to NEST. Good deal, yeah? Starts wit' a munch. Meet and gab. Forget about the strangers on the street, and focus on the ticklephiles in this forum, reading this post.
Who wants in? Mail me. I'd like to see a tally. Tell me if you want your reply kept private. Put "UK" in the subject somewhere, and tell me whether you're interested, whether you'd like to try to assist Del, and whether I can use your email address in a mailing to the group that mails me. If you don't want to be "seen" I'll blind-copy you so you get the mail from me, but no one sees your email address. Easy to do. I do it for mine ALL the time. Do tell me how far you'd travel on a Saturday afternoon (to London, to Bristol, etc.). I await your replies. My mail address for gatherings is (not surprisingly)
[email protected] and the wc is for West Coast, 'cause I ran the West Coast Gatherings once, not long ago.
There, I'm helping. Now go pick a place for a munch.
😉
dvnc
) 
