The fetish scene is, in general, a welcoming and friendly place with most (although, sadly, not all) regular participants encouraging those new to the scene and keeping in mind the struggles they themselves went through trying to take that first step and start a conversation. For the purposes of this discussion we’ll focus on the Tickle Brits community but, quite honestly, virtually all of this can be applied to almost any fetish community you care to name.

One of the core components of the Tickle Brits community is the UK Tickling Forum, or UKTF. This was established in 2003 and has a relatively small, but growing, number of regular posters. It’s usually one of the easiest ways to start getting to know people, especially as you can view several parts of the forum without even having to join so can get a feel for what goes on before you put your head above the virtual ramparts. Once you start posting others will be able to get to know you a little better and will have a chance to respond to what you have to say. Many members are on instant messaging programs and will be happy to chat with you (time permitting) so feel free to add them if they’ve provided those details.

Assuming you decide that this is the place for you we strongly recommend you try and make it to a Munch. These are social events where tickling may be discussed (depending on the participants and their mood on the day) but no play actually happens. They’re held in various locations across the country in public places such as pubs and, uh, well mostly pubs. A munch is a great way to get to know your fellow posters and for them to be able to put a face and voice to a screen name. They tend to be very relaxed, informal affairs and virtually everyone that goes finds them not only fun but slightly addictive.

Tickle Brits also offers a dedicated forum to arrange social events that aren’t tickle related so if you’re looking for a drinking buddy for an evening, or need someone to see the latest Bond flick with then feel free to drop a request in here. Again, the UKTF isn’t just about meeting people for tickling, it’s about building a true community and that includes getting to know people and having fun wherever you happen to be.

If you get to know someone well you may decide between you to arrange a session for some tickle fun. This happens more often than you may think, it just doesn’t get advertised as such things tend to be private and there’s no need to announce to the world what you got up to. Although if you want to, feel free, that’s why we have boards for pictures, stories, clips and discussion of all things tickle-related after all!  Of course if you are meeting someone for the first time we do strongly suggest you read the ‘Meeting Safely’ page on this site.

Another option for some tickle fun is to attend a Gathering. These are large scale events, usually with at least ten or more people, organised specifically for the sake of having some tickle fun both in one-on-one sessions and, more commonly, group settings. They’re normally announced way in advance and are invite-only events. The exact process is up to the organiser but you’ll normally send them a personal message through the forum or reply in the gathering thread expressing your interest and they’ll let you know if you get a place. These events are the showpiece of the UK tickling community and have a reputation for being fun and friendly while also giving everyone a chance to experience tickling in situations that can be as mild or extreme as you feel comfortable with. Oddly though, these aren’t great ways to get to know people as there don’t tend to be too many opportunities to have one-on-one sessions. That being said there’s more than a few examples of people meeting at a gathering and then getting to know each better in the weeks that followed.

Of course, once you’ve gotten to know a few people and the community knows a bit about you, you may want to start thinking about holding events of your own. We’re more than happy to see our members do this and have provided several resources to help this happen including guides to organising both Munches and Gatherings and a ‘round table’ for each type of event made up of those who have been organisers and know some of the potential pitfalls. We do strongly advise you to establish yourself within the community first however, especially if you’re planning on organising a gathering. It just makes things so much easier if people considering attending your event know and trust you beforehand.

To cut a long story short, the community is there to provide as many opportunities as possible to meet, understand and get to know your fellow members and hopefully form friendships that’ll grow over time in the way that friendships tend to. What you make of those opportunities is up to you but one tip we would give is to remember you’re part of a larger scene and don’t dive in looking for a tickle partner first thing off the bat. We have seen relationships begin within the community, and many others that have grown within it, and in virtually every case that relationship has been based on knowing the other person very well before any sort of tickle fun was attempted. Be patient, get to know the people around you and opportunities will come your way.

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