Help for event hosts

Go to your group page and click "Dashboard" in the group menu. As an event host, you'll see a simplified view focused on your meetups: creating events, managing your guest list, and keeping in touch with attendees.

Step by step

1. Create: Click "Create Event" from your dashboard.
2. Describe: Give it a clear title and a short description so members know what to expect.
3. When & where: Set your date, time, and location. If your group admin has saved venues, they'll appear here for you.
4. Spaces & cost: If space is limited, set a capacity to turn on the waiting list — we'll look after it from there. If there's a fee, you can note it here.
5. Publish: Click "Create Event."

Repeating events

Don't re-type the same details every week. For regular coffee mornings or monthly workshops, set up a repeating event once — GatherUK creates the future dates for you. You can update the whole series or change a single date when plans shift.

RSVPs & payments

Click "Manage RSVPs" on any event to see your guest list.

• Adding someone manually: If a member gets in touch directly, use "Manually Add Member" to add them to your list.
• Payments: If your group admin has connected Stripe, members can pay online when they RSVP — the money goes straight to your group's account. For cash or offline payments, use "Mark paid" to record who has settled up.
• Waiting lists: When an event is full, new RSVPs join the waitlist automatically. See How waitlists work below for the full picture.
• Check-in & no-shows: An RSVP is a plan to attend — not proof someone turned up. See Check-in & no-shows below.

Keeping in touch

We send attendees a reminder email a day or two before the event, so you don't need to chase anyone.

On the event page, your host tools include:

• Announce: Sends a one-time email to all group members when your event is ready. If you haven't pressed it yourself, we'll send this for you automatically once the event is within 7 days.
• Email: Sends a message to confirmed attendees only — handy for last-minute changes, parking, what to bring, or how to spot you.
• RSVPs: Opens your full guest list where you can check people in, mark no-shows, record payments, add members, and manage the waiting list.

First on the list, first in line

The waitlist is a queue. When a place opens up — because someone cancels or you remove them — GatherUK offers the spot to whoever joined the waitlist earliest. They are promoted automatically and emailed (on free events).

Guests count towards capacity

If your event allows guests, promotion checks the whole booking: member plus any guests. If only one place is free but the next person on the list needs two, they stay on the waitlist until enough space opens up.

Paid events

On a paid event, someone promoted from the waitlist is marked as pending payment and reminded to pay — they are not fully confirmed until payment is complete (or you mark them paid in Manage RSVPs).

What you can do in Manage RSVPs

• See the waitlist in order on any full event.
• Manually add a member to the waitlist if they contact you directly.
• Promote someone yourself with the Confirm button — useful if you want to skip the queue or handle a special case.
• Move an attending member to the waitlist if plans change.

Checking people in

Open Manage RSVPs on your event. Next to each attending member you will see Check in — tap it when they arrive (or after the event if you are catching up). The button turns green and shows In. Tap again to undo if you tapped the wrong person.

Marking a no-show

If someone RSVP'd yes but did not come, use No show — the button directly under Check in on the same row. GatherUK keeps a count per member in your group. Check-in and no-show cannot both be set for the same person on the same event; marking one clears the other.

When organisers see a warning

After a member has been marked as a no-show at 3 events in your group, an orange badge appears next to their name on your Organiser Dashboard → Members list (and in the Members Directory for group admins). It is a gentle heads-up — not a block — so you can decide whether to follow up before your next event.

First Event badge

Manage RSVPs also flags members who have never attended a past event with your group (no prior check-ins). That is separate from no-shows — it helps you spot newcomers worth a warm welcome.

Editing

Need to change a detail? Click "Edit Event" at any time. Changes go live straight away.

Duplicating

If an event worked well, use "Duplicate" to copy the details for a new date.

Cancelling

If you must cancel, use "Cancel & Notify." This marks the event as cancelled, removes it from the upcoming list, and emails everyone with your message. This is better than deleting the event, as it keeps a helpful record for your members.