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 First Ever Event in Holland
Date: July 1st, 1998
Location: Planet Hollywood, Amsterdam
Written by Margit and Essie
The first Dutch Dinner Party
was held on Wednesday 1st July 1998 at the Planet Hollywood restaurant
in Amsterdam. Unfortunately Lynn, the third member of our Co-ordinator
team, had planned her Summer vacation around this date but she agreed
that we went on with the organisation, otherwise the first event
for GB Fans in the Netherlands wouldn’t be possible until after
the summer.
Margit called Planet Hollywood
in order to get some information, but before she knew it she had
made reservations for about 30 people. The woman she spoke to on
the phone wanted to know what the occasion was for the reservation.
Margit told her that we were organising a dinner for a group of
fans of a certain singer. Of course she wanted to know who this
singer was. Margit really got a red face when she said it was for
Gary Barlow fans. The lady also wanted to know if Gary Barlow intended
to attend the dinner! “Well, unfortunately not”, Margit
said.
The confirmation was faxed to
Margit and she agreed to give them a call on Wednesday 24th June
to confirm the reservation properly because we weren’t sure
how many fans would attend this first dinner. We began work on the
flyer we would send out to fans and Essie sent them out to 25 fans
she already knew and and the event was put up on the GB FANS Website.
Everything went fast after that.
Of course we were curious how many fans would actually attend this
first Dutch event. A lot of times it crossed our minds: maybe we
are with only 6 fans and then what. But we did not have to worry,
because it turned out to 21 fans (including Essie and Margit). WOW!!!
 Of
course 1st of July came with rapid strides. On that day Margit had
to work and Essie had her graduation for Animal Welfare on that
day. Margit had to go to the train and she was really a bit nervous
to be on her own going to the ‘big’ city in order to meet
20 people she had never had met before.
It was about 5.15pm when Margit
arrived at Planet Hollywood. Essie, Linda and her daughter Ellen
(from Belgium) were to meet her at 5.30 pm, so she still had some
time to wait. Of course she first wanted to make sure that Planet
Hollywood really knew about our dinner and if someone popped in
they could refer them to Margit.
Margit was standing outside waiting.
Fist Linda and Ellen arrived, Margit recognised them immediately,
because Linda had sent a picture of herself and Ellen. We talked
a little and then Essie arrived with two of her friends. Everything
was so wonderful when we met, it was as though we had known each
other for years.
In that half an hour the other
fans also came, with the exception of Claire who arrived at 7.00
pm! We all shook hands and then we went upstairs to enjoy our dinner.
The waiter asked us what we wanted
to drink, and after a little speech from Margit, we started with
the first course. We made took photos and looked at a lot of pictures
of Gary. Pictures were ordered and swapped for other pics. Of course
we ate the main course, but it was so cosy we didn’t eat much.
We also took a picture of the whole group (thanks for that Hans!)
and a few of Essie and Margit.
Before Linda and Ellen had to
leave for Belgium again, we held a raffle. Jenn in Canada had sent
Essie the Superhero single (thanks again Jenn). Kim won the prize
and she was really happy with it. She had wanted to buy that single
the weekend she was in London to see the Party in the Park.
Essie had made a feedback form,
we were really curious what everyone thought about this first event.
Well, everyone was enthusiastic and they also made some good suggestion
for our next event, which we are hoping to plan in October (together
with Lynn then).
At around 9.45 pm everyone had
left and together with a few other fans we went back to the railway
station.
Claire, Essie and Margit were
able to travel together. Claire had brought her video camera and
she made a special video of Essie and Margit for Helen, Jan and
Julia. Also, because of the fact that Jan always wanted to hear
me sing, I started to sing an operetta song ‘Hab’ ich
nur deine Liebe’ in the midst of the other passengers who really
liked it. As Claire attended the dinner she also spoke a few words
to Helen, Jan and Julia and then she had to leave the train.
Essie and Margit were still able
to travel together until the train  stopped
at the Leiden Railway Station, where Margit had to go out.
Fortunately Margit has MIRC on
my pc so she could give Jan and Julia feedback of our first dinner.
She couldn't sleep well that night, but was glad everything went
well and that everyone was really enthusiastic.
To those of you who attended:
thank you very much for you support and for making this first Dutch
event a great success. We hope to see you all again in October.
Keep checking out the Event Schedule on the GB FANS Website.
End
of Report
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