Find a local comp club
I’ll never forget my first experience of a compers’ meeting – it was about 15 years ago at a fabulous event known as ‘Big Brum’, organised by Birmingham comp club, Kompers Korner. Over 100 compers would gather annually to exchange entry forms, chat and enter fun competitions – with a massive charity raffle to end the day. I went alone to the first Big Brum and chatted to several other compers – we had a great time, it was a relief for me to find people who finally understood the strange hobby I’d taken up!
Not long afterwards I joined the Compers News chat forum and went to a meeting round the corner from my house in Nottingham – there were about 20 of us there, including comping legend Brita Bevis. I met a group of girls that day who remain some of my closest mates. Meeting compers in real life is inspiring and fun, and it certainly helps you to win prizes when you work as a team! Soon I was invited to join the Toton comp club (hosted at ‘Britain’s Luckiest Granny‘s house!), started a North Notts comp club (with Compers News Editor Steve), and attended Notts about Comping in the city centre. Now I’m a member of Brighton Breezy down on the South Coast, meeting with likeminded wine-loving compers once a month.
These days the bigger comping days are few and far between – London Competitors Club has quarterly meetings for members and guests, and you can still find events occasionally in Manchester, Yorkshire and the South-West (read my write up on ComperCon 2017). I hosted my own event, SuperLucky LIVE, in October 2019 in Brighton, and hope to do more events in the future!
Local comp clubs are still popular, but it can be difficult to find up-to-date information on meeting venues and times. I’ve contacted several comp clubs in order to get a current list together – if you’d like me to include details of your club or comping event, get in touch via my Contact page.
Facebook Comping Clubs
If you’d like to attend a comp club but don’t see a local one listed here, check to there may be a local Facebook comping group you could join on my list of comping Facebook groups – you might find a few members are interested in starting a club in the same location!
I also have my own Facebook comping club Lucky Learners – a group where new and experienced compers from round the UK (and indeed the world!) can chat and share tips and comps.
Meeting formats
All comp clubs work differently. A few smaller clubs are held in member’s houses on rotation, but most will be in a pub or café. They can be as often as fortnightly, or organised on a whim every 6 months! It’s rare for members to make it to every meeting, and new members or guests are usually welcome. Comp club meetings are relaxed and informal, but there may be rotas set at the beginning of the year to decide who’s responsible for bringing raffle prizes. Here’s what generally happens:
- Wins – members take turns to say what they’ve won since the last meeting
- Prize draws – members may bring magazines (with entry forms in), ‘quallies’ (promotional products where a receipt is required for entry) or stamped postcards to be given away in prize draws
- Entry forms – members bring along any entry forms, free magazines and newspapers or photocopies of current competitions, often bundled into sets ready to be distributed between club members
- Quizzes – members might take turns in setting a quiz
- Comping chat – members might need advice on Facebook, Twitter or a certain competition – or simply need a bit of motivation to get going after a comping break!
Since the Covid-19 outbreak, many clubs have moved to virtual meetings via Zoom!
List of UK comp clubs
Midlands
Kempsey Compers – meet on the third Thursday of every month near Worcester, usually at 7.30pm. Contact Valerie at KempseyCompers@gmail.com
Notts about Comping – meets monthly on a Saturday morning in Nottingham city centre. Contact Maureen at williams_m@live.co.uk
Staffordshire Comping Club – meetings are held monthly and rotated between Rugeley and Trentham, in a pub on Wednesday evening 7.30 – 9.30. The club is growing each month with new members always welcome. Contact Jean at staffscompers@gmail.com
Lancashire
Manchester Marvels – meet every 8 weeks in Prestwich. Contact Elaine at ellieblue1223@gmail.com
Yorkshire
Leeds Competition Club – meet on the second Monday of every month in Leeds city centre, 7.30pm – 9.00pm. Contact Jane on Twitter at @jayess38 or Heidi: rigtonprint@yahoo.com
Ridings Round Compers – meet every six weeks at 1pm in Harrogate. Contact Emily – emily@planet-garage.co.uk
Scotland
East Kilbride Compers Club – meet on the first Monday of every month in Nerston area, 8pm. Contact Ann on 01355 248287
Glasgow Compers Club – meet in Glasgow City Centre on the first Saturday of every month. Join the Facebook group for more details.
London
London Competitors Club – meets quarterly in London on a Saturday. Membership currently costs £24/year but you get free entry to the club meetings, access to the email groups and a quarterly magazine. Contact londoncompclub@yahoo.co.uk, or find more information at compelation.weebly.com
Essex
Chelmsford Comping Club – meet every second Friday. Contact Sheila at sheilatalk@hotmail.com
South Coast
Brighton Breezy comp club – meet on the first Tuesday of every month at 7.30pm in Hove. Contact Nuala at nualaroberts@yahoo.com
Coastal Compers – meet bi-monthly in Rustington on a Saturday morning. Find out more in the Coastal Compers Facebook group.
Southampton competitions club – meet on the second Thursday of every month at 7.30pm in Chandlers Ford. Contact Chrissy at sotoncompetitionsclub@gmail.com
South West
Bristol Compers Club – Meet every 6 weeks. Contact Cara at bristolcompers@hotmail.com
West Country Winners – meet just outside Newton Abbot every six weeks. Contact Oonagh at wood1nr@btinternet.com
If there’s not a club listed here that suits you, don’t worry – I’ll hopefully be adding more clubs to the list. Also check my post about local Facebook comping groups to join, as you might find someone near you who wants to set up a club!
Good Afternoon, does anyone know if there is a group for North Wales??
What a great read. I just joined your group today and am busy making my way through your tips. Not sure if there is a group in Huntingdonshire PE area?
We are just a FB group at the moment, but may organise meet-ups in the future. New members very welcome
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Berkshire.Hampshire.Wiltshire.Comping/members/
Thanks Debbie! I already have separate Berkshire, Wiltshire and Hampshire groups listed on my Facebook Groups post but I can add you to that?
https://superlucky.me/facebook-groups-for-compers/
Does anyone know if there is a club near Norwich Norfolk? Looks like my nearest is Gt Yarmouth! Thanks
I’m Norwich too. There is a facebook group – https://www.facebook.com/groups/892596654127433/
As far as I’m aware there are no meet ups from this group.
Di, Does this mean we could set up meetings for Norwich?
Of course! First thing is to post in the Norwich/Norfolk Facebook group and ask if anyone is already in a club – if not, perhaps see if people want to meet for coffee one weekend or at a pub one weekday evening?
Notts about Comping is still thriving, with the same details that you already have Di, thanks.
Hope to see you in Brighton one of these days.
Anyone know of a club in the south Suffolk or North Essex areas? Can’t see one listed.
Hi Angela do you know of any clubs in Suffolk? I’m new to this.
David, if you’re on Facebook you could join this group and ask if anyone knows of any clubs that meet? https://www.facebook.com/groups/2675453862718271
thank you Di
thanks for the great site, and wonderful enthusiasm and motivation you have! you have motivated me in many areas of my life, big warmth and positive energy your way
Hi, I have tried google for a Wirral or Liverpool club but have had no luck. Does anyone know any groups in these areas please? Thanks x
Are you in the Facebook group Chloe? I would post in there and ask if anyone knows of a club having regular meetups in the area. If not, you could suggest meeting in a pub/venue close to you and see how it goes! https://www.facebook.com/groups/MerseysideCompers/?hc_location=ufi
Thanks x
Is it considered bad form to contact these people if you want to tell them about a new competition site? I don’t want to appear to be spamming people but it may be of interest to them.
I’d rather you didn’t James – forums and Facebook groups are where you should be focusing your attention on promotion!
Di, would you like to add us to the list? North Bristol Comping Club meeting once a month – different pubs!
I certainly can Sue – could you email more details to di@superlucky.me – I need a contact email address please!
Hi Di, have spent most of the evening, apart for when I played badminton, going through your facebook page, comps etc etc. Thing is I then find it difficult to get away from comping
My email address is sueswanborough@btinternet.com
We meet about once a month in different venues to share the driving fairly. We take details of comps we have found, sjop magazines, anything that includes comps. We also take a bag of goods that have comps on them, up to value of £5 and swap the bags around the table. Also have a facebook page to keep in contact with each other
Thanks
Sue x
Sent from Samsung tablet
——– Original message ——–
Hi I live in Yate and 4/5 of us meet once a month at different pubs to be fair to everyone with the travelling. Don’t know if we could meet up depending on where you are.
Please let me rewrite last message. Belonging to a compers club.
Hi. Anyone in the Gloucester area interested in starting or already belonging toa ccomoersclub. If so please let either Di or myself know. Thanks Hilary Brady
Di, If you hear any one from The Isle of Wight please let me know.
I live in Witney, Oxfordshire and love comping. I have been enjoying my hobby for 20 years and have won quite a few prizes!
There don’t seem to be any people near Oxford that I’ve come across who love comping too, but I live in hope!
I’m in Banbury (Oxfordshire) and love comping but have also found the same as you!
Hi Tanya! This is good news, I’m in Kidlington so about 30 mins from Banbury. I wish we had a club nearby but it’s fab to find out there is a local comper nearby at least!
Hi, I am in Kennington, Oxford and looking to see if there is a comp. group Oxford group yet?
i saw that chester is my local club but still quite a drive, wondering if there was anything in north wales?
Does the Big Brum Club still exist?
I’m still awaiting a response from Rosemary! If it does I’ll be sure to add it on to the list.
Ok thanks Di
Thanks Di… I never thought of starting a Facebook Group to find like-minded people! 🙂