The UKTF Philosophy and FAQ - By BOFH666

[BigJim]

Q: What makes the UKTF different from other tickling sites on the web?
A: There’s two main differences. Firstly this is a site focused on a specific region, in this case the UK, whereas most sites have a wider scope. Secondly, the normal focus of the big tickling sites such as the TMF and Tickle Theatre is on content creation and sharing. While the UKTF does feature content it’s primary goal is to build the tickling community in the UK by providing somewhere for people to talk, get to know each other and arrange munches, gatherings and other meetings.


Q: Does that mean non-UK members aren’t welcome?
A: Not at all. While the UKTF obviously has more to offer UK members we’re open to everyone who wishes to join. In fact the guy doing all the technical work is an American and one of our mods is a Canadian living in the UK. And one of our admin’s is Welsh but we try not to talk about him.


Q: Munches? Gatherings?
A: A munch is a social gathering of members held at some point in the UK. Most times this will be a pub because a) they’re cheap and b) they tend to offer some semi-private space. Oh, and c) Beer! A munch is all about the social side, no play of any sort goes on during a munch unless you count hiding chocolate from those members who consider it a vital element of their diet. Usually munches are open to all with no or little charge other than paying for your own drinks / food and possibly a small cover charge.

Gatherings, on the other hand, are basically play parties. Most are run by experienced members of the forum and all will have a set of rules in place governing what is and is not allowed. Mainly this can be summed up as “show some common sense, be courteous and remember everyone’s there to have fun first and foremost. Oh, and this is a gathering not an orgy so no sex, ‘kay?”. To date all gatherings are semi-closed events with a set guest list. Some will be advertised in advance for people to apply for space, others might be setup fairly quietly.


Q: Guest lists? Is there a secret handshake as well? Do I have ANY chance at getting invited?
A: Yes, and don’t be such a drama queen. Gatherings in the UK are a fairly tricky beast to organise, doubly so for a tickle gathering as the noise generated can be both loud and high pitched, not to mention prolonged. Venues are limited and those that come in at a decent price also tend to be fairly small which means the organiser must keep a fairly tight grip on the guest list. There’s other factors as well, such as making sure that there’s a decent balance of males & females, ‘lers & ‘lees.

Some events, usually those held in private property or for a specific reason, are never publicly announced beforehand simply because there’s no way to accommodate a large number of people and the guest list is almost completely full beforehand anyway. Others are announced on the forums and if you’re interested just put your name down. The organisers will do their best to pick a nice mixed group and, hopefully, introduce at least a few first-timers into the mix. Just remember, if you’re a brand new member to the forum it’s going to be very hard for anyone to know you and how you’d fit into a group like this. Post a bit, get to know people, try not to annoy the mods and chances will come along.


Q: Where and when do these things take place?
A: The honest answer is “wherever and whenever the organisers can manage”. In practice they tend to be in fairly central areas such as the Midlands or London just to try and give everyone the best possible chance of getting there no matter the mode of transport. The frequency of these events is increasing but please remember that putting one on, especially a gathering, is a major undertaking and needs a lot of time and effort invested.


Q: Can I help organise an event?
A: Probably. If there’s a specific event you’d like to help out with drop the organiser a line and see if there’s anything you can do. If you’re thinking of organising your own event though, please bear in mind that people will normally only attend events where they know the person running the show so for new members this might not be a realistic option.


Q: How about meeting people for 1 on 1 sessions?
A: Obviously this is down to you and your prospective partner BUT there’s a few things you need to consider. First up, just as with a gathering anyone you’re thinking of asking for a tickle session is going to want to know you, not only on-line but in the real world as well. As a result joining the forum and immediately putting a post up asking if people want to meet you for a session is very unlikely to work and can have the unfortunate side effect of making you seem a tad.. uh, intense.

Next, and this tends to apply more to men than women, please remember that certain individuals on the forum get hassled a LOT by people via PM’s asking if they’d be up for a private session. It’s really not a great way to introduce yourself especially if the person you’re PM’ing doesn’t really know you from the other 6,000+ registered users. Of course it’s a different story if the recipient of your invitation DOES know you but even then remember that just like every other social interaction you need to be prepared for rejection.

Finally, if you’re meeting someone you haven’t seen in the real world, please do meet for a coffee and chat in a brightly lit public place. Despite mainstream media’s attempts to convince you otherwise there are very few true nutbars on-line but better not to take any chances.


Q: You say this is about forming a community but surely relationships formed from a place like this can’t last?
A: You’d be surprised. At the time of writing there are at least four or five couples posting on here, a couple have come together through a shared love of tickling and at least one couple met through this site and are now married. Over and above that though, and we’re really not sure why this happens, friendships formed through the tickling community seem to stand a decent chance of being long lasting ones. Maybe it’s the shared bond of having been through torturous experiences together, maybe it’s the comradeship that can only be formed through common laughter. Or maybe some people just look really REALLY good in short shorts. Who knows? Whatever it is though, the tickling community seems to be a decent way to form relationships at all levels and long may it continue.


Q: Anything else you’d like to tell us?
A: Thank you for that convenient open-ended question and yes, just a couple more things need to be said. Firstly, please remember that the UKTF is a meting place for the community. There is no such thing as an official gathering (to date anyway) and, while the mods and admins are here to help events, munches and gatherings are the responsibility and domain of the individual organiser. In other words, their word is law for their events and we encourage everyone to abide by that.

Secondly, this site can only survive and grow with your help. Post a bit, contribute to existing discussions and feel free to start new ones. A casual glance through existing posts will show we’re quite capable of going from discussing serious bondage to USB rocket launchers in about three posts so there’s not a lot that won’t see some sort of reply.

Finally, and most importantly, have fun! And if you do have any questions feel free to PM a mod or admin and we’ll try our best to help you out.