ZZ9 30th Anniversary Party
ZZ9, the official Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy fan club, is 30 years old. And the 30th Anniversary Party is taking place on Sat 20th November upstairs at the Old King's Head pub SE1 1NA, near London Bridge, from 5pmish. All paid up Sproutclub members are welcome (there are no free drinks or anything).
The AGM for current ZZ9 members is from 1pm (I know that at least 20% of the two clubs' members overlap). Ex-ZZ9 members welcome to attend the AGM as long as they renew their membership on arrival.
We're particularly trying to get as many ex-ZZ9 Committee members as possible so if you know anyone who might be of interest to us then please pass on the invite, or pass them my details or vice versa or something.
Events will include the auctioning of a Dirk Gently radio script signed by cast members including Harry Enfield, Stephen Moore, Peter Davison.
ZZ9 is collecting money to sponsor a plank at Southend Pier in memory of Douglas Adams (www.yearoftheplank.com) so if a nice Sproutclub organiser wants to turn up with something Rankiny to donate to the auction (and Golden Sprout flyers to hand out) then that would be gratefully appreciated.
Hope to see some of you there.
This is so frustrating 
There are a few events in the big city that I would like to get to between now and xmas but there is a fly in the ointment - the Fu**ing useless rail services
I usually book in advance and by doing so get to travel 1st Class both ways for under £30, one train all the way and relative comfort - also cheaper than a standard weekend return. At the moment there are continuing rail works every weekend on my route and this means two things.
1. The journey involves at least one change and one bus replacement
2. No cheap advance options.
In a nutshell, they expect me to pay over £80 for a disjointed, uncomfortable and much harder / longer journey - it usually takes 2 hours but with the mess about takes 4!
Bunch of Knunts.....
Damn and blast......20th already booked for my sons 31st!!! birthday drink up. Have a great night and good luck with the auction.
Has now taken place. Was massive pissup. I'm still recovering.
I got myself elected President (not sure how as I wasn't standing) so I'm hoping for a new golden age of cooperation between Rankin and Adams fans.
As some of you will know, ZZ9 hold far more local meetings and events than Sproutclub, although in recent years our numbers have been falling. I hope that we can organise at least a Brighton slouch and invite Sprouts along, and a London event that we also invite Sproutclub to. Also if Sproutclub is doing the Crystal Palace visit that we discussed a month-or-so ago that could be cross-publicised with ZZ9.
My aim in proposing all of this is:
To ensure that DNA fans are reading RR and vice-versa, I enjoy both authors.
To try to get ZZ9 members to join the Order of the Golden Sprout and vice-versa, I enjoy both clubs.
To make sure that hoopy people with lots in common meet each other.
VIVA EL PRESIDENTE! 
On a saner note...sounds like a damn fine idea Robert, there has always been a lot of crossover between the two clubs so long may this continue. If you are at the tun next thursday plans could be hatched. This invite also goes out as usual to anyone in the London area on the first thursday of the month. The pub is The Melton Mowbray
and we meet in the downstairs bar. Nearest tube is Chancery Lane.
more details here http://news.ansible.co.uk/london.html
As some of you will know, ZZ9 hold far more local meetings and events than Sproutclub, although in recent years our numbers have been falling.
What areas are covered please?
Yes to all Robert, and congratulations to becoming president - good to know I'm not the only mug special person on the planet 
Are you along to the first thursday next week? I plan on being there myself so a chance to catch up, have a beer and chat about where we can go with a new entente cordiale 
Are you along to the first thursday next week? I plan on being there myself so a chance to catch up, have a beer and chat about where we can go with a new entente cordiale
Entente cordiale? Like the one the Koreans are enjoying at the moment?
Yes, I plan to be at next week's Pi(e) meeting.
Where are ZZ9's current local groups? I'll get back to you on that one, we have less activity than we used to have. I think that a couple that we are still listing are no longer active. Cardiff, Cambridge and Leeds are all active I think. But also we hold odd meetings around the country (occasionally the world), last year included Chester and Glasgow off the top of my head. And we held 42 Day activities on 10.10.10 around the world including Cordoba in Argentina. There are enough people in Brighton in both ZZ9 and The Order to have an active group and monthly pub meeting.
Oh yes, and we need to resurrect the Fannish Ashes. Which was an annual quiz comp between ZZ9 and Octarine at first, then ZZ9 and the original Sproutclub. I think that we've lost the ashes again but we just have to burn a Rankin and an Adams paperback and stick the ashes in a jar and we're ready to go again. We could stick a Pratchett in there for historical reasons.
Entente cordiale? Like the one the Koreans are enjoying at the moment?
There are similiarities, one is a dictatorship run by a...cough.. less than tall military type, the other a democracy in which I am sure the election was both free and fair
However Sproutclub has less heavy artillery than the North Koreans
I resemble that remark
Are you sure
