Hosting a good plan

You don’t need to be outgoing to host. Pick something you’d do anyway, and make it easy for people to say yes.

Pick something specific

“Saturday walk round Dovestone Reservoir, 10am, about two hours” gets more yeses than “anyone fancy a walk?”. Say what you’ll do, where you’ll start, roughly how long it takes and how fast you’ll go. If you need anything (boots, a racket, cash for entry), say so.

Choose a good place to meet

  • Somewhere public, easy to find and easy to reach: a station entrance, a café door, a park gate.
  • Add accessibility details if you know them (step-free, seating, a gentle pace). People decide whether they can come from these.
  • The exact spot is only shown to the people you accept. Everyone else sees the general area.

Keep it small

Four to eight people is the sweet spot: enough that nobody has to carry the conversation, few enough that everyone talks. You can let people join instantly, or approve each one; either way, you see each person’s verified profile and their record of turning up.

Be honest about cost

Every plan says whether it’s free, pay-your-own-way, or has a small cost paid to the venue. Hosts never collect money from members. If you’re eating out, a venue partner can let you book a table from the plan.

Get a feel for people first

On a plan where you approve each person, every request comes with the person’s passport: their photo, interests, three fun answers, rating and how often they turn up. For a smaller or more personal plan, switch on the personality check when you post. People asking to join take a quick “this or that” quiz, and you see their type (“The Host”, “The Explorer”…) and their answers before you decide. It’s a light, friendly guide: be generous, and say yes to people who are different from you.

Look after first-timers

When someone is coming to their first plan, they can let you know, and you’ll see a “First plan” tag next to their name. A quick hello in the group chat (“I’ll be the one in the green coat by the gate”) makes a big difference.

The day before

Everyone going is asked whether they’re still coming, and you see who has confirmed. If someone can’t make it, their spot goes straight to the next person on the waiting list. For walks, hikes and outdoor sport you’ll also see the forecast, and we’ll tell you if heavy rain, storms, strong wind or heat are on the way, so you can move the time; everyone going is told if you do.

On the day

  • Get there a few minutes early and tap “I’m here” in the chat, so people can find you.
  • Start on time, or say in the chat how long you’ll wait.
  • If someone makes you or others uncomfortable, you can remove them from the plan and report them. In an emergency, call 999.

Afterwards

Mark who came (people who didn’t can say “I was there”), rate the group, and add the people you got on with as friends. If it went well, make it a regular thing: repeat the plan weekly, every two weeks or monthly, or start a club.

Bringing friends

You can invite your friends straight into a plan. If you switch on +1s, everyone going can bring one friend too. Friends join the same way as everyone else: verified, and fitting the plan.

Read the community guidelines and the safety page before you host.