Maria

OK where to start.
So I started clubbing around 2001 when a good friend I worked with took me to a Trance event in Milton Keynes.
I met some really great people and found my love of the music.  Trance came first and then Hard House. 
A year on I was pregnant and gave up for a while losing contact with anyone I met.
Being a single mum I found it difficult to meet new people especially those with a love for the music and the bug to go out and dance.
I found CTW and wrote my first post on January 25th 2003. 
I was looking for like minded people and new friendships but what I found was a whole lot more. There was drama, passion, friendships and even love.
I met some fantastic people through this website and have stayed friends with many of them despite us all growing up and leading our normal lives. Many of us settling down, marrying and having children.
I met my first real love and many of my real friendships through this website and had some fantastic times and a whole host of memories that have lasted. 
I met DJ's, Producers, visited cities and clubs I had never been to before, experienced weekenders and without CTW I never would have had all that,
It was a place where you did not need local friends to go to a club with because we all met up before the events and went together. Everyone was so welcoming and real friendships were formed.
My hope is that this place can be that once again, Maybe not for us old timers who for many cant go out as often as we would like but to give the new generation the same thing we all had.
Organised meetups which were safe and welcoming, friendships so you didn't feel alone, romances and love.
We were one big family
There was also plenty of arguments, hatred, nastiness, heart break, etc.  Some of which I had a big part of but I had real friendships and some of those friendships have lasted the past 16 years.
For the parts I played and I think there was plenty I am sorry
Like many I was young, naive and pretty messed up in the head at the time. 
At the same time I had support through some of the darkest times, No one turned their back on you and they told you if you was out of line even if you didn't want to hear it. 
CTW was a safe place for me and the people I met will always hold a special place in my heart.
I hope all the new people who read this can get the same experience as I had because without all of the CTW family  I would not be the person I am now. 
So I was about to name everyone but there are too many to list so to all those over the years
Thank you for the memories, For kicking my butt into touch, for putting up with me and for the lasting friendships ever since.
Because truly you do not know what it means to me. 
Now I will shut up cause I cant half talk some waffle, That certainly hasn't changed. 

Below is the original ClubTheWorld welcome message / mission statement from November 2001, it was simply these words which pulled in the very first members (Kev, Tara, Sarah, Si ...) who found this statement touched a nerve as they fell into exactly the same category as me.   
They wanted to find new, real, clubbing mates - not just acquaintances, people they could meet up with week after week for a guaranteed awesome night out whenever they chose to.  Knowing they didn't have to share any personal details - they just needed to remember the web site name, they could then chat, view photos and arrange the next event safely.
Welcome Dedicated Clubbers ! 
Run out of reliable clubbing mates ?
Bored of visiting the same old local bar/club ?
Mates always letting you down at the last minute ?
Can't find friends into the same music genres as you ?
Find you just have to go out clubbing every weekend ?

 If you fall into any of these categories then you've come to the right place!
These are exactly the reasons this site exists!!!
And here is the original Homepage from back then
2001.ClubTheWorld.uk Note: back in 2001 we didn't have any Smartphones!, we had to sit down at a desktop (or a laptop if you were lucky) ...
... to be continued ...
Original 2001 Website Homepage