If you are a first time attendee at Federal Conference the range of fringes, debates, training and people to meet can be a bit bewildering. Some experienced conference goers in the party have given Freedom Central their top tips for where to go, what to do and how to survive the week.
You can download the full agenda and directory from the party’s website. If you wanted to play some weird kind of conference bingo you could see how many of Daran Hill’s A-Z of Conference you can spot. But to help you separate the wheat from the chaff, check out the tips below.
Kirsty Williams AM, Leader, Welsh Liberal Democrats
Top thing to do: Come to see the devolution debate on Sunday.
Top tip: Get to the rally early on the Saturday night. It heaves with people.
Jeremy Townsend, Freedom Central contributor
Top thing to do: The annual get-together of the Welsh party. Every year, we have an informal gathering of members of the Welsh party and is a great chance to catch up with friends and colleagues old and new away from the hustle and bustle of the conference venues. Welsh night is always a great success and has the English and Scottish members green with envy.
Top tip: Spend a good hour planning what debates and fringes you plan to go to and put them in your diary. Because there is so much going on, it is easy to miss your favourite speaker or a particularly interesting fringe if you do not plan carefully and keep to your diary.
Dominic Hannigan, PPC Cardiff South and Penarth
Most looking forward to: The endless hours spent chatting, pondering, gossiping with new friends and old.
My top tip: At some point during conference – normally about three days in, make sure you take yourself off, on your own, to a quiet pub or restaurant away from the venue and have a good square meal. I have seen many people completely lose it at conference through a combination of lack of food, excessive late nights and lack of sleep, coupled with the sheer intensiveness of it all. In my early conference days I would spend the week in a continual circle of hangover-drunkenness, hangover-drunkenness, living entirely off vol-au-vents and fringe wine. Nowadays, I try to look after myself a little bit more, and the one square meal alone trick normally allows enough emotional, physical and mental recovery to get through a few more long days and longer nights.
Sarah Green, PPC Arfon
My Top tips: Challenge yourself! Go to a fringe meeting on a topic you strongly disagree with… exercise those little grey cells and engage with what the other side of the argument have to say. If there is someone you really want to speak with… arrange to meet them at a specific time and place, conference is busy and the time runs away from you and you are far more likely to see them if you make a dedicated effort to set a time and place
Make the most of the training that’s on offer. There are mutiple sessions across every day… there is bound to be at least one session that will appeal to you
Meet up with fellow Lib Dems from your area and region – there aren’t many opportunities to catch up so make the most of the chance at conference
Matt O’ Grady, Cardiff activist and Freedom Central contributor
My top tip: Attend a variety of fringes early to discover which hotels do the best fringe food, and then base the rest of your fringe choices on this important factor.
Most looking forward to: It has to be the Leaders speech really! By the end of the final day I’m exhausted, probably hungover and haven’t eaten anything that wasn’t on a buffet for days. But somehow by the time I leave the hall after the speech I’m filled with enthusiasm and ready to win every vote one-by-one.
Either that or the first proper nights sleep when I get home!
Cllr Elgan Morgan, Chair Welsh Conference Committee
Most looking forward to: I’m looking forward to finding out (and hoping) that my hotel isn’t as bad as the reviews make it out to be!
Cllr Mark Cole, Ceredigion, Mayor of Cardigan
Most looking forward to: Catching up with friends from across the country who we often only see at conference time – conference is like an annual family reunion!
Top Tip: Bring the Conference to an enjoyable conclusion by coming to Glee Club on the Tuesday evening!
Alison Goldsworthy, Welsh rep to the Federal Executive and Freedom Central contributor
Most looking forward to: The Social Liberal Forum fringe on Monday night. After Nick’s pamphlet yesterday talking about the Lib Dem’s taking over as the real progressives of politics this fringe featuring Compass’ Neal Lawson will see what others think of that, and how we can go about it.
Top tips: Get a seat early for Nick’s speech, or you will get left without. Avoid the Glee Club Mark Cole will doubtless suggest you go to unless bad jokes and bad singing are your thing. Liberal Youth’s disco will be where it is at, and feature considerably cheaper drinks.
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