Hello HypoCon,
LifeRing has a couple F2F UK meeting also. Smart has more in UK though, so probably not likely they are near you. This is what was listed on LifeRing site anyway, just in case.
Lincoln, Lincolnshire LN1 1UD
Belfast, None BT1 2LW
I'm in USA, and haven't done SmartUK online meeting. On the US site, for the voice meetings you don't need a microphone, but you do need a working speaker. You can type in text box to “talk”, instead if you don't have microphone. As long as you have working speakers on your PC, it wouldn't hurt to just go to the SmartUK voice meeting and listen in.
If you do buy a set of headphones with microphone, the people at the meeting can generally help you with the controls and settings. Your computer should automatically recognize the headset/microphone. You do have to click a button to talk though and sometime you can accidentally mute yourself or others. That's usually the only technical difficulties you might have.
Another choice is going to text meetings on the US site. The US site has meetings everyday. They also have them at a lot of different times, so there is probably something friendly to your time zone. All evening meeting (my time zone) fill up fast. In a minute or so. I assume ones that would be better suited to your time zone, wouldn't fill as fast, but I'd still suggest to get there a few minutes early and keep clicking in, if you do try one on the US site.
LifeRing has an online meeting Saturday, that I have seen people from UK at before. I think it's 4.00pm you time.
They have online meeting here also, but not suited for your time zone, unless you work swing shift
Best of luck to you.
Take care, Todd