Where has 2024 gone? It’s been an incredible year Amiga-wise, with our meets in February and the BBQ in June. We will be rounding off the year with one more big meet before we start our programme of 2025 events:
- When: Sunday 29th September 2024
- Where: Ottershaw Village Hall, Brox Road, Ottershaw, Surrey, KT16 0HG
- Time: 9am-9pm
- Cost: £14-16 per person (price includes pizza lunch, the famous Kickstart cake, snacks and soft drinks throughout the day)
- Ticket Link: https://kickstartamigagroup.sumupstore.com/
As it’s the end of summer, we are going to have a pizza party for lunch to celebrate.
As always, we only have a limited number of tables (though we have recently bought more tables to take us to maximum capacity at the hall), so book early to avoid disappointment.
The September meet is already shaping up to be a another full house, with several members planning to debut their new Amiga builds at the meet alongside the usual array of diverse Amiga models and related hardware that puts in an appearance. For example, you will get to see one of, if not the newest, Amiga 4000 on the planet, complete with a new recreation case and expansions. I’ll also be bringing my own latest project, a new A1200 tower case conversion complete with modern storage and RGB lighting courtesy of Rob Cranley’s Solus expansion.
Table Ticket for Kickstart September 2024 Meet
Non-Table Ticket for Kickstart September 2024 Meet
Draft Plan for the Day
- 9am – Doors Open
- 11am – Games Contest 1
- 1pm – Lunch Arrives
- 2pm – Unveiling the Kickstart Cake
- 3pm – Games Contest 2
- 5pm – Documentaries and Demos on the Big Screen
- 9pm – Doors Close
There will be more news to come over the coming weeks in terms of guests, but as space is limited please don’t delay in securing your spot.
About the Day
Logistics: We are well covered, whether you are driving or coming to us via public transport:
- Driving: Ottershaw Village Hall is located roughly five minutes drive from Junction 11 of the M25, making it easy to reach from most motorways heading towards London.
- ULEZ: Ottershaw Village Hall is located OUTSIDE the expanded London ULEZ zone, so if your car is not ULEZ compliant, and you are already outside of the M25, you won’t have to pay the ULEZ charge to come to Kickstart by car.
- Parking: There is free car parking (capacity in excess of 40 cars) in the local authority car park directly opposite the venue on Murray Road.
- Public Transport: The nearest train station is Chertsey. It is 2.3 miles from the venue and an inexpensive taxi ride to Ottershaw Village Hall.
- Hotels: If its easier to stay over, there is a very reasonably priced Premier Inn located in Addlestone, just two miles from the venue.
What to Bring: If you have a table ticket (which we expect most people will), there will be a table and a chair for you – all you need to do is bring your Amiga! This list will help ensure you don’t forget the essentials:
- Your Amiga
- A monitor
- Mouse, Mouse Mat and Joystick
- Power Cables and Power Supplies for your Amiga and peripherals
- Mains extension lead (the more sockets the better)
- Screwdriver (just in case you need to open up your machine)
What’s Happening?: This will be an all-day user group meet up. It’s a chance for us to do all things Amiga – fix them, use them show them off, talk about them – whatever you want to do. We will be doing a couple of gaming events.
Also, some attendees are discussing putting on their own demonstrations, such as a session to help people improve/learn to solder.
Refreshments: Your ticket price includes refreshments to help keep you going through the day. We will have an ample supply of bottled water, soft drinks (diet and non-diet), crisps and other nibbles that should last the whole day. And your ticket includes lunch, which for this meet will be pizza.
Selling Amiga Stuff at Kickstart: If you have things to sell, we are happy for you to do so at Kickstart. We provide a couple of tables by the stage for people to put items for sale on. However, it is the seller’s responsibility to deal with it. Similarly, if you make hardware etc. for the Amiga, we are happy for you to show these off and sell them at Kickstart. We take no responsibility for anything bought or sold at a Kickstart meet.
Groups: If you are coming as a group (for example, if you are part of another user group) and want to sit together, just let us know after you buy your tickets and we will make sure we reserve you a group of places together.
Not Bringing an Amiga? You are more than welcome – just buy a non-table ticket so that we know you are not bringing a machine. You will still get access to everything, you just won’t have a dedicated table.
Local Amenities
There are plenty of additional options for additional food, drink, supplies etc. to keep you going through the day:
- There is a large Miller and Carter Pub and Steakhouse Directly opposite the main entrance to the venue. We will likely end the day here with a celebratory drink for anyone who can join before we all go home.
- There is a One Stop convenience store sand Post Office approximately two minutes walk from the venue on Brox Road, as well as a Londis convenience store approximately one minute’s walk from the venue on Brox Road.
- There is also a Lloyds Pharmacy on Brox Road, next to the Londis.
- The 3 Rooms Indian Restaurant and Dragon Wok Chinese Takeaway are around one minute’s walk from the venue on Brox Road.
- The venue is also covered by Just Eat, Uber Eats and Deliveroo.