Free Tickets for WDYTYA Live 2013 (Who Do You Think You Are?)

[Lisajj]

Here's your full report then :-)
We arrived about 10.30am and it was already buzzing.  I wasn't going to any workshops as we had our 1 year old in tow.  She was making friends with everyone on every stand!  There were lots of interesting things to look at, and we got in the queue for Eric Knowles to value our heirloom (which wasn't valuable as didn't tell us anything new).  Eric was very nice and even apologised for us having to wait! The War Forces Records stand was packed and we couldn't get anywhere near it. The larger stands didn't have enough "freebies" to give away. And as I've been doing my genealogy for a fair few years, I found it disappointing that most stands were only there promoting starting your family tree.  But, It was still a good day and I had a couple of good chats with some universities about distance learning courses.
My main "complaint" is about the venue.  Considering that the "target audience" for this is retired people, and quite a few of them I saw today were in wheel chairs or had sticks, Olympia isn't the best venue.  We had similar problems as we had a pushchair.  First of all the train station doesn't have disabled access, so we had to walk all the way around.  Then the baby changing is in the disabled toilet or you have to go down stairs to the other one.  There is only one lift.
But, apart from that, it was a great day and I would have gone to some of the workshops and lectures if we hadn't have had the little one with us.
I picked up quite a few leaflets too :-)
Lisa

[peb21]

I attended on Friday with my free ticket, Thank you Rootschat. 
This was my first time to an event like this so wasn't sure what to expect.  I got lots of freebies bags, booklets and an umbrella.  Had an interesting chat with the man doing DNA, and with the lady from the Surrey Archives. as was the man on the Police stand, the lady on the Irish stall was very unhelpful.
I had hope to buy items there and thought they would have been cheaper, but no they were just the same price you would pay normally.
I enjoyed my experience of attending this event.

[fastfusion]

Ummmm an umbrella??

[Wiggy]

something you need a lot of by all accounts!!         Specially this year!

[dawnsh]

well done on the umbrella. I went to Michel Gandy's talk and got a free goodie bag voucher from wdytya. Apart from the plastic bag, my daughter has nabbed the pencil & note pad and the very nice fan chart leaving me with a family tree  programme (which you can download for free anyway)

[acorngen]

Just wanted to say that after 3 succesful days at WDYTYA.  Made a few new contacts and spoke to the head of Anglia before I got to meet and put a face to the delightful Sarah.  Have to say she was so so different to how I pictured her.  Hope her and Trystan had a safe journey back to Bury

Rob

[J.R.Ellam]

Hi
Used the free ticket on Saturday and had a good time and listened to several talks but no one was telling how to access the Scottish records for free. One can live and hope.

John

[Lisajj]

I got a magazine, two pencils, a ruler and a pen.  I didn't even get a bag!
And the only reason I got the ruler was because Emily was being cute to the stand holder!

[Archivos]

Hi
Used the free ticket on Saturday and had a good time and listened to several talks but no one was telling how to access the Scottish records for free. One can live and hope.

John

That's cause it's a secret...

Unfortunately, it's not a secret as it's just not possible - there are cheaper ways than online at Scotland's People, but they involve living or holidaying in Scotland and having access to either a local registrar or the Scotland's People centre in Edinburgh.  Or generous friends and family who will furnish you with Scotland's People vouchers all the time.