How to Move Your Group to GatherUK

Moving platform does not have to be stressful. Most organisers set up on GatherUK in an afternoon, tell their members where to find them, and run both sites in parallel until everyone has settled in.

1. 1

   Tell People a Move Is Coming

   Before you change anything, export your member list from Meetup as a checklist of who to reach. On most standard Meetup groups that file has names and join dates — not email addresses. Meetup keeps contact details inside their platform, so you will also use their “email all members” tool and your GatherUK join link to bring people across.

   What about email addresses? Meetup Pro can export emails, but only for members who RSVP’d and agreed to share them — and the list is often incomplete. If you have a separate newsletter or mailing list, use that alongside Meetup’s own announcements. You do not upload Meetup’s export to GatherUK; it is just to remind you who still needs nudging.

   You could say something like:

   "Good news — we're moving our group to GatherUK. It's a UK home for local groups, free for members, and much fairer for organisers. Watch out for a join link soon!"

2. 2

   Create Your Group on GatherUK

   This usually takes a few minutes. Your first three months are free, and you do not need a card to sign up.

   Create Your Group — Three Months Free

   Add a photo, write a short description, and check your location and privacy settings while you are still on your own — there is no rush to invite anyone yet.

3. 3

   Invite Your Members

   When your group page looks right, start reaching people. Post on Meetup and share your GatherUK join link (steps 1 and 5) — that is how most members will find you. Where you already hold an email address (your own mailing list, Meetup Pro export, or similar), send a personal GatherUK invite — especially helpful for private groups.

   Email invite vs join link — which to use?

   Personal email invite (group admin → Messages & Invites → Invite Someone to Join Your Group): use when you already have someone’s email address. They receive a branded invitation with your optional note. On private groups they are added straight away — no waiting in a pending queue.

   Shareable join link (see step 5): the main tool for most Meetup migrations — paste it in a Meetup announcement, WhatsApp, or your newsletter. On private groups, people who use the link alone appear as pending until you approve them.

   Because Meetup rarely hands over a full email list, most organisers announce the move on Meetup and share the join link first, then send personal GatherUK invites only where they already have addresses.

   If you are sending your own email (outside GatherUK), you could say:

   "Hi everyone — to keep our group affordable, we've moved to GatherUK, a UK platform built for communities like ours. It's free for you to join and attend. Watch your inbox for a personal invitation from us on GatherUK."

   Helpful tip: Post one upcoming gathering on GatherUK before you send invites. People are more likely to sign up when they can see something in the diary. Your invite history in group admin shows who has joined and who has not signed up yet.
4. 4

   Import Upcoming Events

   You do not need to re-type every gathering. Our calendar import can pull your upcoming Meetup events across — titles, dates, and descriptions included. They arrive as drafts so you can check them before publishing. Meetup member lists, photos, and past history are not imported.

5. 5

   Share Your Join Link

   Every group also has one shareable join link — find it under Messages & Invites in your group admin area. Copy it for WhatsApp, a newsletter, or a final post on Meetup. It is ideal for anyone who missed a personal email invite.

   If your group is private, people who use the link alone will appear as pending requests until you approve them. Send personal GatherUK invites where you already have email addresses (step 3). Many organisers leave a last Meetup post or event saying “We’ve moved — join us here” with the link.

6. 6

   Close Meetup When You Are Ready

   There is no deadline. Run both platforms for as long as you need. Once most members are on GatherUK and your diary looks good, you can cancel Meetup and keep that subscription money for your group instead.

   And remember — your first three months on GatherUK are free, so there's no rush and no extra cost while you make the switch.