KentFurs

2014-02-19T22:06:48Z

86.160.207.120: updated the venue section, structure and a bit to the online community

{{Wikify}}
The '''Kentfurs''' are a group consisting of furs primarily from the area of [[Wikipedia:Kent|Kent]] county area in England. They have monthly meets on Saturdays at 1:00pm, at the Cathedral Gates in [[Wikipedia:Canterbury|Canterbury]]. The exact dates are chosen to avoid clashing with other local meets.<ref>http://forum.ukfur.org/topic/41260-kentfur-meets-2013/</ref>

== History ==

==== KentFur Meet in Ashford ====

On January 7, 2008, [[Shadow Sani]] (formerly known as Kimiko Kitsune) attempted to organize the first Kentfur Meet in Ashford.<ref>http://forum.ukfur.org/topic/7823-ashford-furmeet/</ref> However, only two people attended and no future meets were planned.

==== KentFur Meets in Canterbury (2008 to 2010) ====
The first consistent Kentfur Meets began on February 23, 2008.<ref>http://forum.ukfur.org/topic/9509-canterbury-fur-meet/?hl=%2Bkent+%2Bmeet</ref> They were organized by [[Zakari]] and other furs via the [[UKfur|UKfurs]] EastFurs forums until 2010, when the meets went into hiatus for about a year.

==== KentFur Meets in Canterbury (2012 to present) ====
On November 26, 2011, Canterbury fur [[Thayne Blake]] started to organize a Seasonal Meet<ref>http://forum.ukfur.org/topic/35578-the-kent-seasonal-furmeet-spring-saturday-3rd-march-in-canterbury-at-the-old-buttermarket/?hl=%2Bkent+%2Bmeet</ref> for Saturday March 3, 2012, the preparations proceeding across the following months,

On Saturday February 18, 2012, a [[Coffee Meet]] was organized on the spur of the moment for a handful of local furs, and was held in the High Street Costa in Canterbury.<ref>http://forum.ukfur.org/topic/36621-coffee-in-canterbury-saturday-18th-february-at-130pm-cathedral-gates/?hl=%2Bkent+%2Bmeet</ref> These Coffee Meets continued on a monthly basis<ref>http://forum.ukfur.org/topic/37015-coffee-in-canterbury-the-second-24032012-burgate-clock-tower-1300/?hl=%2Bkent+%2Bmeet</ref>, renamed as "Cake in Canterbury".<ref>http://forum.ukfur.org/topic/37308-coffee-no-cake-in-canterbury-the-third-21042012-topic-already/?hl=%2Bcake+%2Bcanterbury</ref>

Over the course of 2012, the "new" KentFur Meets grew in success, and the "Cake in Canterbury" and "Seasonal Meets"<ref>http://forum.ukfur.org/topic/37085-summer-kent-seasonal-meet-the-picnic-in-the-park-160612/?hl=%2Bkent+%2Bmeet</ref> were replaced with consistent Monthly Meets.<ref>http://forum.ukfur.org/topic/38724-kent-meets-for-july-august-september-october-november-december/?hl=%2Bkent+%2Bmeet</ref>

After the meet on Saturday 7th December 2013 the meets went on hiatus for a short time while a consistent meet routine was planned out for 2014. Starting on Saturday 22nd February 2014 the now named "Canterfurry Meets" follow a six week schedule permitting two meets per season as a tribute to the original Seasonal Meets.

== Location ==

All Kentfur Meets have been held in the city of ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canterbury Canterbury]'', with the '''East''' and '''West''' stations providing connections to the majority of Kent. With the City Centre pedestrianized and a number of different venues to choose from it offer a lot of choice for the meets. The ''KentFur Winter Party'' was held in ''Stodmarsh'' at the very kind hospitality of '''Clio''' on her family's farm.

== Venue ==

Between 2008 to 2010 the attendees of the meets would gather at ''Canterbury West Railway Station'' before heading into the city centre, however the meets had no set venue.

==== The Old Buttermarket ====

The ''Spring Seasonal Meet'' on 3rd March 2012 was held at '''[http://www.nicholsonspubs.co.uk/theoldbuttermarketcanterbury/ The Old Buttermarket]''' in ''Burgate'' part of the ''Nicholson's Pubs'' franchise. Thanks to ''Tendo Charizard'', the group were given a special 20% discount on the food and reserved an area of the establishment, treated with a lot of hospitality by the ''Assistant Manager Ben''. However because of increase in trade across the Summer season it was not possible to utilize this venue again for a Seasonal Meet.

==== The Old Brewery Tavern ====

For the Summer Seasonal Meet on 16th June 2012 the '''[http://www.michaelcaines.com/taverns/canterbury Old Brewery Tavern]''' part of the Michael Caines Taverns franchise was chosen, permitted exclusive use the barbecue seating area.

==== Union House & The Lounge ====

Afterwards the meets became consistent ''Monthly meets'' and the venue of choice would vary from meet to meet, frequently returning to the ''Old Brewery Tavern'', ''Burgate Starbucks'' and ''High Street Costa'' until Saturday 10th November 2012 when the '''Union House''' part the '''[http://www.canterbury.ac.uk/AboutUs/CampusesAndFacilities/OurFacilities/StGeorgesCentre.aspx Canterbury Christ Church University St George's Centre]''' building. However because the venue suffered low trade at the weekends it was closed through December 2012, but thankfully reopened in January 2013. After negotiating with the Management the ''KentFurs'' were offered the ''Union House'' for the meets until the end of the academic year 2012/2013. With the '''St. Georgoe's Centre''' being utilized as a business hotel of the summer for conferences the ''KentFur Meets'' were held at whichever venue was available and could accommodate the number attendees present.

==== 2014 ====

No consistent venue has been established, though possibilities are being explored

== Activities ==

The primary focus of the ''Kentfur Meets'' are to be social events with card games and board games being frequently played to encourage interactions between attendees. Events have been organized outside of the ''Kentfur Meets'' such as a trip the '''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marlowe_Theatre Marlowe Theatre]''' in ''Canterbury'' to see the production '''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avenue_Q Avenue Q]'''<ref>http://forum.ukfur.org/topic/37057-kent-marlowe-theatre-trip-avenue-q/?hl=%2Bkent+%2Bmeet</ref>

== Structure ==

==== 2013 ====

This is the structure within the KentFur community in 2013

==== Alpha ====

As the organizer of the new ''KentFur Meets'', '''Thayne Blake''' was given the title of ''Alpha'' by the attendees of the new ''KentFur Meets'', he continues to organize the meets and events for the sake of the KentFurs Community.

==== Beta ====

'''Gairne Bloodmuzzle''' has provided support at the ''KentFur Meets'' in the form of transporting attendees about and offering the hospitality of his own home, to acknowledge what he has contributed to the community he was given the title of ''Beta''. '''Clio''' has provided support to members of the ''KentFurs'' in the form of one on one council online and as noted above her family's farm for the ''2012 Winter Party'', she is the second fur to be given the title of ''Beta'' for what she has given to the community. However no single fur governs the ''KentFurs Community'', it is the community as a whole, those given titles only act as the voice of the community.

==== 2014 ====

With the relaunch of the ''KentFur Meets'' under the new name of ''Canterfurry Meets'' and organized again by '''Thayne Blake''' to follow a consistent six week routine, currently only he is currently the only organizer

== Members ==

The ''KentFurs'' primarily consist of furs from the ''Kent'' county, though furs from outside the county are welcome, recognized as '''Honorary KentFurs''' such as '''Ghost Wolfos''' from ''Chessington'' and '''Ecko Garuwashi''' from ''London''. Even furs who once lived in the county and have moved away are still regarded as members of the community, for example '''Noha Kitsune''' who attended ''University for the Creative Arts'' in the academic year 2011/2012. The community has an international member '''Ronyo Faukx''' from ''Australia'' who has roots in the ''Kent'' county and while visiting made an incredible impression on the ''KentFurs''. When ''Gairne Bloodmuzzle'' went to ''Beijing'' for a conference he befriended '''Liaojay Pooch''', before he came to the ''United Kingdom'' to study he was welcomed by the ''KentFurs''

== Online ==

The ''KentFurs'' has a pinned thread on the '''UKfur: EastFurs''' forum listing the dates of the upcoming meets. A '''Facebook''' group administrated by ''Thayne Blake'', ''Gairne Bloodmuzzle'' and ''Clio'' with ''Event'' pages created to remind members of upcoming meets. A '''Skype''' which has some simple rules to show consideration to participants.

'''* No Conference Calls:''' With so many participants in the group not everyone will be able to take part in the conference call

'''* Introduce New Participants:''' When adding a new participant please introduce them to the group so they are not a total stranger

'''* Respectable Conversation:''' Please keep the conversation respectable, the odd innuendos remark is fine, but not constantly

'''* Respect Participants:''' Show respect to fellow participants.

== References ==
<references />

{{United Kingdom}}
[[Category:Regional groups]]
[[Category:England]]

WikiFur - User contributions [en]

KentFurs