BritMums Live 2014

BritMums Live 2014

In June 2013 I watched the awards ceremony for BritMums Live on my laptop.  I hadn’t felt that I knew enough about blogging to attend the event myself.  What did I know?  I’d feel like an intruder, I wouldn’t understand anything, I’d feel stupid, daft, like an imposter (delete as appropriate).

But actually, I really did regret not having the guts to say Sod it!  I’m going. So as soon as the Early Bird tickets for BritMums Live 2014 were announced, I took a deep breath and hit the ‘buy now’ button.  Ok, I’m going, I’m really going!  I’m lucky, I’ve made a great group of friends within the blogging community over the last 18 months.  I knew I wouldn’t be alone.  9 of us agreed to share hotel rooms, 3 others would meet us in London.  The planning began, instructions to Daddy P, it all seemed a long way away.

I was really lucky to be offered sponsorship by the lovely team at Heroes of the City; who I’ve reviewed for previously.  So, before I knew it, it was June, blimey, it’s time to go to BritMums Live 2014!  I was ready, the weekend was here. BritMums Live 2014I met Emma from Bubbablueandme on the train and off to London we headed. Once there I met up with Tina from The Soup Dragon Says and we made our way to our hotel to wait for the rest of our roomies. Once everyone had arrived we hailed a couple of taxis and drove to The Brewery.  I was excited, nervous and feeling a little queasy! BritMums Live 2014Within minutes I’d bumped into a load of other bloggers I’d met at previous events, the nerves were gone, I was with friends, part of a wonderful community.

I like nothing better than meeting brands face to face, goes with my sales background! So it was good to mingle over a coffee and cake and say hello to people I’ve been emailing with recently.  I’m so glad that I arrived with my roomies, including Fiona from Mummy’s Little Stars.  It was reassuring to have company at the beginning of BritMums Live 2014, although I soon gained the confidence to head off to the workshops I wanted to hear by myself.

Highlights – listening to Kirstie Pelling and Jaume Marin in Creating a Pitch.  They both made me view my approach differently and have given me the confidence to be bold and brave! Listening to Lucy Heath – I love her photography and Julia Boggio – really interesting to see her slides to understand how a photo is created. I’ve been a fan of Simon Calder forever, so listening to him in the Travel Blogging group was wonderful.  I also like reading A Bavarian Sojourn, so it was nice to put a voice and a face to Emma’s writing.

I learnt lots, actually need to take time out, need through my notes and absorb everything.  There were emotional moments.  Two people made me cry.  Listening to Katy Hill when she won here BiB – even famous Mum’s doubt themselves and lose confidence when they step away from the workplace to be a Mum. I know I’ve got a little lost since being a Mum, and am scared of returning to a working environment.  The moment that caught me totally unawares was during Saturday’s keynote speeches. Sarah from Grenglish read about her miscarriage experience.  Regular readers will know, I’d only written about my own experiences earlier last week.  It was like someone reading my post out loud.  Very emotional and I am in awe of her that she could stand there and deliver the way she did – amazing.

Meeting other bloggers for the first time.  I met so many wonderful people, if I don’t mention you here then I’m really sorry, doesn’t mean I wasn’t pleased to see you. Fiona from Coombe Mill – I love Country Kids, it was wonderful to see you.  Sara from MumturnedMom – wow, you took me by surprise in the best way, so lovely that you were this side of the pond! The Boy and Me – we had actually met at Longleat last year, but I was still such a newbie and being part of #365 with you this year has been wonderful. I wasn’t leaving BritMums Live 2014 without meeting Charly from PODCast!  Charly’s photos are just beautiful, her linky’s are fab (I just need to be more organised!).  Finally I had to meet another Monkey Mum – Jo at My Monkey’s Don’t Sit Still.

The weekend was over before I knew it, time to get back on the train and head home. My Monkey had missed me and wanted his Mummy back!  I had a wonderful time.  I will be booking my early bird ticket very soon for next year.  If you’re new to blogging and think you’d be out-of-place at an event like this – YOU WON’T!  Book your ticket.  You will not be alone, you will be part of an amazing community.

Lastly, thanks to an amazing group of women who have been there for me through every moment of my blogging journey – you are just the best . Tina, Fiona, Tami, Kel, Zoe, Pippa, Anna, Jenny, Jen, Anthea, Eileen.

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See you there next year!

25 thoughts on “BritMums Live 2014

  1. It was so lovely to have the safety of going in with friends. This time last year I had the same feelings, and while I am not confident on where my blogging journey will take me next it is great to know I have my own mini support team. Here is to next year and even more brain overload!

  2. You must have been in front of me at the Di Coke talk from the look of your pic – wish I had known. I can’t believe I forgot tissues for the keynotes – tears streaming down my face x

  3. What a great write up! It was such a fab weekend both in terms of listening to all the inspiring talks and meeting the brands at Britmums as well as catching up with our little group of online blogging friends. Already looking forward to Britmums 2015!!

  4. It was a fab weekend and you took some fabulous photos – I took my camera and promised that I would take lots, but I was so busy and everything went so fast! I am looking forward to going again next year. 🙂

    1. It was ace, the group photos were taken by a friend. Most of my photos were pretty rubbish, but I just wanted to enjoy the whole experience without being behind the lens for a change. Lovely to be able to put a voice to your face and blog now 🙂

  5. I’m sorry we didn’t get a chance to meet this year, but I’ll come and find you next year for sure! Miscarriage really is shit and I am so sorry it happened to you too. Thank you for being so kind about my reading, I was shaking like a leaf!

  6. It really was a great weekend with friends. I am so glad I went and the time I spent with you and the others were the highlights!
    Can’t wait till next year!

    1. It was nice to see you as a Mum, with exactly the same issues as me. I actually met you at the BritMums meetup in Oxford last April. I was extremely new to blogging and rather in awe and very tongue tied!

    1. Yes, I’ve been all over the place since Sunday really (nothing unusual I know!!) Lovely to spend time with you. I don’t know why I thought you guys had gone for brekkie with Kel and Tami on the Sunday morning – crossed wires.

  7. It was a great event. Next year I want to get organised and stay in a group, or at least organise dinner.

    Can’t believe I missed seeing Kel. She was the one person who introduced herself to me when we were both wandering round last year on our own.

    Great pics too. I only took one photo of Kate and myself and it didn’t even come out that well. Otherwise no pics of people. Must try harder next year

    1. Most of my photos were awful and I didn’t take either of the group shots! We should def arrange to travel down together next year again. Not sure what we’ll be doing about hotel, would be nice to be a bit nearer really. It was the first time I’d met Kel although we’ve been talking for 18 months – that was special 🙂

  8. What a fab post Mary. It was lovely to meet you and maybe one day at an event out monkeys might meet too! I loved my first ever BritMums too and hope to see you there next year. I had no idea Jen from My Mummys Pennies was in your group. Luckily I got to meet her too 🙂 So lovely of you to mention me x

    1. Wouldn’t that be lovely – 3 monkey’s in one room might cause some chaos!! Jen is really good friends with The Brick Castle and Red Rose Mummy, so it was the first time I actually met Jen, but she’s lovely too.

  9. It was so lovely to be able to spend some proper time together. I felt the same as you last year and thought I would be out of place. I am so pleased I went and, even though I didn’t feel like I learnt a lot, it was great to feel so welcomed and part of such a wonderful community. See you there next year!

  10. Wonderful post Mary and a delight to meet you. Thank you for the little mention, there was no way I was going home without meeting you after you have been so supportive of Country Kids. See you again next year x

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