I do agree with WFC that it would be good if W&H could sort some of these problems out, but really they can't do anything unless those using the forum are willing to do their bit to help the situation. And that will sometimes involve working TOGETHER rather than as a bunch of individuals.

I, like WFC, am one of the longer-established members and I'm really sad to see that so many of those who used to post frequently rarely, or never, post any more. What makes me sad is not so much that I don't have the benefit of their friendship and support (because I can contact them by PM or keep the friendship going by email), but that the new, or newer, forumers don't have the opportunity of getting to know them, nor do they benefit of learning from the new members.

As WFC mentioned, I have offered to try to get a list of Supper Clubs together. I have done this, not because it is of any benefit to me (I can only go to so many outings!) but because I thought it would be something useful for other forumers, especially new ones joining and looking for new friends. My idea was to get a list together and then approach W&H and ask if there was some way that it could be a permanent feature on the forum that could be referred to, rather than having to trawl through endless posts trying to find a supper club to join.

I have posted on several occasions asking for supper club organisers to contact me with details that I could put on this list. I don't know how many supper clubs have been set up, but so far I have received less than ten replies over a period of, maybe, a couple of months. This leaves me feeling that (a)there are fewer supper clubs existing than I thought; or (b)contrary to what has been said several times on the forum, there is no interest in having a list of supper clubs; or (c)there are lots of supper clubs on the go, but no-one from lots of the clubs can be bothered replying to my posts; or (d)perhaps it's me?

I really don't mind in the least if no-one wants me to try to do this list. As I said, there is no benefit to me in having this list. If I'm wasting my time, please tell me - I won't mind as I've got plenty of other things to do!

BUT what does upset me is the fact that, possibly, no-one can be bothered to give me the information I need - and I can't do it on my own.

What I am trying to say is that we need to work TOGETHER to get this forum to work - not just the Supper Clubs, that's only a very, very small part of it. But the whole thing. Unless we do that, we'll just end up having a lot of very unhappy, sad and disillusioned people around, many left feeling lonely and unhappy by the treatment they receive on the forum.