well Happy birthday to the forum and I just thought it would be nice to find out how you found us or your best memories of the last year

so heres how it all began

I remember the day well, it had started off as a clear morning and I’d walked the dogs miles and returned home in time for breakfast.

The girls were at their dads so the house was quiet but one thing was niggling me, it was the look I was getting from the pile of ironing hanging around menacingly in the corner of the kitchen So avoiding all eye contact with the laundry I made a quick cuppa and logged on to check my emails.

I’d been aware for some time that forums are a good work avoidance technique and I was a member of a couple dedicated to fish (I know how sad is that) but on this particular morning it was pretty quiet on them and I was beginning to think that the ironing might get done after all
I was left with two choices, do the ironing or find another forum to chat on, so the search was on. I had no idea if there were any TA forums around, I hadn’t seen any and couldn’t find any active ones on google. I did find one dedicated to education but I didn’t like it too much, no private messages, no editing and no moderators so things seemed a little unfriendly at times especially from teaching staff, so logging off I went back to look at the laundry
Fortunately before I could even set up the ironing board a though occurred to me if there weren’t any TA forums out there, why not make one? I had no idea how but within a few minutes I was back on the laptop and putting the old grey matter to work.

I have to say at this point that this exercise was more to do with the aforementioned work avoidance than supplying a functioning TA forum but by the time one of my Canadian friends logged into msn I was quite proud of how it was looking, so at exactly 11.47am I opened the forum so that I could show her what I’d been up to.


Members came flooding in and by the end of the day TAchat had 18 members and by the end of the weekend there were 54

One year on we have over 1200 members who have made a staggering 137,000 posts. Thanks to the members it is undoubtedly the friendliest forum I have ever known and it wouldn’t have been possible without the dedication of the mods and prefects who give so much to it

My memories

I have had such a laugh over the last year since that fateful day when I first met summertime on a Grand Day Out. We shared visits to the moon, skydiving escapades and a trip to the beach. So I knew when she was asking for prefects for her forum that it would be something I would love to do……………plus I had never been a prefect at school so wanted to give it a try.

I have learnt so much along the way and made friends that I know I will never let go of. In fact they will never be able to escape…and from experience I think they know that!!!

I have been sent so many lovely pm’s from members, and they probably don’t know that I keep so many of them that summer had to increase the size of my message box!

Who would have thought that the forum would have grown so big with so many fantastic and supportive members, I have never known a place like it, and look forward to my lunchtimes and evenings during a busy and stressful week when I know I can pop in here and laugh and read all your posts.

I don’t know what my best memory could be…reaching the 10,000 posts was a pretty amazing evening; reaching the first 100 members and then seeing the list grow and grow, I will never forget how excited we used to get in the early days as the number of members increased, the parties and the chat room where we have so many laughs, but can share problems and ideas. It’s all snowballed into being a big part of my life that I never want to lose, so all you brilliant people don’t ever go away………I LOVE YOU ALL!!!

Sometimes when I tell people that I mod on a forum for TAs they look at me as if I’m mad , but I just think……hmmmmm you just don’t know what you are missing!!!!

So don’t you ever change, keep posting and chatting, this is your forum, and you being here and loving it as much as we do makes it all worthwhile. Summer....... I want to say thanks for picking me to be in your team, and big thanks to all my fellow mods, prefects and monitors! I couldn’t wish for a better team.

So Cheers and Happy Birthday! Here’s to the next busy and successful year!

Thank you Summertime

If some had said to me
A year ago today
Log onto TA chat
And you'll never go away
I'd have laughed at them
And thought them rather mad
Talk to people on the net
How very very sad
But how wrong was I
To think in such a way
As it's one of the best things
That I do almost every day
Here we have true friendship
The type without any strings
Support, advise and empathy
Amongst so many other things
When you are feeling down
Or need to clear the air
There is always someone
Who makes you feel they care
I never fail to giggle
Every time I am here
There is always someones post
That fills me with good cheer
So to Summertime I say
You should be full of pride
This site is all you hoped for
I'm proud to be on your side

Trueblue xx

awwwww true that is lovely thank you

How can I year have flown away so fast? OK, so it is a rhetorical question. Some of us already know the answer to that.

It's what happens when you're doing something that you enjoy, Time does fly. It's doesn't seem that long ago that I was reading posts on another education forum and read a post by Summer inviting us to visiting this forum. All I can say is that was the start.

I'd missed the very start and joined on the 3rd Nov. The forum was well established by them. The thing that shone out the most to me was the friendly way everyone welcomed me. I've made a lot of new friends over the last year. We've never met, we might not every meet but you are my friends.

We've shared information, fun, sorrow and joy. We're a community with similar interests, similar ambitions and the foresight to know what this forum could mean to us all.

When my sister died shortly after I joined it was the posts and PM that helped me more than any of you might have realised and for that I thank you.

This has now got a bit maudlin so for now I'll say a big, big big thank you to Summertime, my follow Mods and prefects and most of all to you the members. you make this forum what it is.

It all started on another forum where I saw the sig in Dancing Queen's answer to a thread and decided to go and see what this TA Chat forum was all about, and I haven't looked back since. Although in the beginning I was convinced I'd joined a total mad house but everyone was so friendly and welcoming. At that point I didn't know that the forum was only a month old as it all seemed really profesional and everyone seemed to know everyone else so well. Soon I was asked to be a prefect and I was really happy about it, when I tell people that I'm a prefect on the forum they look at me as though I'm a bit weird (actually that bit is true ).
Thanks to Summertime for starting the forum and to all the mods and prefects for the hard work and entertainment, and to all the members a big thank you for the friendships, support, laughs and everything else you bring to TA Chat.
Long may TA Chat reign as the friendliest forum around
Happy Birthday TA Chat

Wow, the year has absolutely flown by, I can't remember what I did with all my spare time before TA Chat

What I like most about the forum is the friendliness of all members, none of the petty nastinesses of many a forum - and how many members have stayed around

No matter what you're going through at any given time, good, bad, upsetting, something to celebrate, there is always someone (and usually a lot of 'someones' ) around to share, with endless virtual hugs, chocolates, cakes and glasses of champagne :

So a big THANKYOU to everyone who is a part of TA Chat, no matter who you are or how many times you have posted, you are all valued members of our happy family

For me it all started on a certain forum that some of you have been on. On this certain forum I saw a link for this here site. Being the curious type I clicked the link, As if by magic I was transported to a world of hugs,friendship and info on anything and everything. Life has never been the same since and I am so glad

Been on here since the 1st November and never looked back since.

Found the web address in a paper and thought I'd have a look, wouldn't you know it I was hooked.

I always know that when I'm down I can log on and there is always someone there to cheer me up and a shoulder to lean on.

It's somewhere to ask for advice and share your joys.

The laughter and fun I have enjoyed on here is too much to mention.

So to Summer and all the team I would like to say,


Thank You!!!!!!!

I didn't join til February..........a real late starter!

I'd looked at a couple of sites trying to find info on being a T/A, but none of them were 'just what I was looking for'.................until I found this one

It's not cliquey like some other forums I've visited, I've always found everyone I've 'spoken' to on here, to be very friendly and helpful (helpful doesn't seem to justify the lengths you lot go to to help peeps out.............it's really, really appreciated..............thank you)

Edited to say.........have a lovely party later on, sorry I can't be there, but I'm sure you'll all have a ball

For me it started when I used to log onto another education site. Things were slow at times so Dq and I used to liven things up a bit. Then this other poster put out a call.............."Would you be interested in being part of a new forum?" Well, I would and after a few days of going round the circuit boards I was rescued and logged on!

People who know me on here appreciate at times I'm not around much, and I am pleased that summer has let me keep my nice, shiny prefect's badge. You guys are great and I am proud to be part of this big, nutty, friendly community called TAChat.

Thanks summer, you did good matey! : XX

I haven't been a member for that long but I feel part of the group all ready and you don't get that in many places.
I don't always get to long on every day and sometimes it's been a week or so, but you can always come back and be a part of it again.

I joined as I wanted to find people in the same job as me and to be able to gain knowledge and share experiences with other people.

The true relationships shines through and this was shown when not long after joining could have even been a week or so the forum helped me in my aim to raise £600 for Cancer Research....You supported me and helped me achieve my goal.

I would like to say a great big thank you for the laughs, tear, honesty, empathy and friendships, they all make the fourm and great place to be.

Shell.x.

WOW what fantastic messages

I just want to add a simple thanks to every single member who posts..... every one so very different but everyone so very important, happy birthday to all and heres to many more
'

True xxx

Bless you all

I was on the lappy one day, think i was looking for jobs and came across a well known forum... i saw the link under dq's name and registered

From that minute i was hooked. I have found TA Chat to be a friendly, helpful and informative place. I have a lot v good friends here and hope to gain a lot more I really love my time here (as i can tell by my post count and the amount of time i am here )

Thankyou everyone for making my time here fun and for making TA Chat what it is today!

Lets raise our (vodka) glasses to another 12months!!!!

Love u all