Organizer Sophie is not ready to plan her next one Home and away-event. Last year in June she organized a first fan meeting in Deurne, where acting couple Sophie Dillman and Patrick O’Connor, two well-known figures from the series, made an appearance. Hundreds of fans showed up. Last winter she also brought actor Kawakawa Fox-Reo to Antwerp.
In the meantime it seems to have become her regular hobby. “That first event opened a lot of doors,” she says. “Patrick and Sophie did a lot of lobbying. I still remember that they initially seriously checked whether it was all pure coffee. (laughs) You never know when complete strangers will approach you online. But afterwards our event was overloaded with superlatives. We pampered them last summer. They now even know me as far away as Australia.”
Promote single
The upcoming actors are good friends of Patrick and Sophie. “On May 11, we welcome Tim Franklin and Jake Ryan, aka Colby and Robbo, to ‘t Stad. I just received a message from Matt Evans, who plays Theo. Normally it wouldn’t come until 2025, but it will come as early as August 3. Evans is also a singer. His new single will be released in July. We want to promote that song here, which is why Qmusic presenter Sean Dhondt contacted the radio station’s music composer. They were interested there.”
Matt Evans plays Theo in the series. — © vtm
When she spoke to Jake Ryan via Zoom, he in turn suggested that she also speak to some actresses. “I didn’t say no to that. After all, we have seen at previous fan meetings that many women come. Also a number of men, and no, they are not forced by their wives to come along. (laughs)”
“When you see the joy among the fans, that’s what you do it for. Some fans even cry. One time, one of the actresses comforted a fan after she told her story”
Sophie Straetmans-Declerck
Organizer and super fan
Different dates
From now on, the fan meetings will follow continuously. “On September 14 it is the turn of Emily Weir and Sarah Roberts, aka MacKenzie and Willow. Ethan Browne (Tane) arrives on January 11, with actress Lynne McGranger following later in 2025. She has been playing the role of Irene for thirty years and is one of the absolute icons of the series.”
The meetings take place in Het Klokhuis, in the Parochiaanstraat near the Meir. “Easily accessible and we hardly have any work there. There is already a theater setting.”
Emily Weir is MacKenzie in the series. — © vtm
1,100 fans
Home and away has a loyal but small audience in Flanders. That is why it is all the more striking how many people come to Sophie’s meetings. “The group is also growing. We are already almost at 1,100 fans. Viewers encourage each other via social media, and people often don’t know that we are organizing something like this.”
The meetings are small-scale, a strong plus according to Sophie. And also a big difference with the Comic-Cons, international large-scale events where well-known actors are featured. “There you pay a lot of money for a photo, and after five seconds the meeting is over,” says Sophie. “We organize multiple sessions, with a maximum of 120 fans at a time. There is more than enough time for a chat, photos and autographs. We also do an interview. With us you get much more value for your money.”
READ ALSO. Actors ‘Home and Away’ are coming to Antwerp again
Tim Franklin comes to Antwerp on May 11. — © vtm
Less nervous
When the actors came to our country for the first time in June, Sophie was very nervous. “Especially for that first meeting. After all, they are also my personal idols. But even that faded away,” she laughs. “Nowadays I communicate with those TV stars the same way I am having this conversation with you now. Still, that doesn’t take away the magic. Every encounter yields one oh my goshmoment.”
“We already have almost 1,100 fans and the group is still growing. Viewers encourage each other via social media”
Sophie Straetmans-Declerck
Organizer and super fan
At the fan meetings you see many women in the audience. “But also a number of men. No, not obliged by their wife,” laughs Sophie. — © Robin Fasseur
READ ALSO.Australian soap stars from Home and Away visiting Deurnese sports hall: “Suddenly my idols were in my car”
Every meeting also gives Sophie a lot of satisfaction. “When you see the joy among the fans, that’s what you do it for. Some fans even cry. For example, there was a 19-year-old girl who had endometriosis (a condition in which the uterine lining grows in other places in the body, ed.), just like actress Sophie Dillman. When she told her story she started to cry, after which Sophie comforted her for several minutes. There is also the story of Shana, who battled cancer for three years. She wanted to see the actors before she died, and she succeeded. She is now gone.”
All information about the fan meeting can be found on the Facebook page: ‘Home and away Belgium‘
Tags: Kempense Home superfan welcomes idols Antwerp Australia
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