Feedback 

Below is some feedback from our last Big Weekend (in 2023, in the same venue as it will be in 2025).

• Great venue. Food and refreshments were excellent. Volunteers were wonderful. They worked hard to make everyone feel welcome and involved (myself included). Many thanks for that. The ice breaker sessions were a really good idea.
  
  
• Firstly, I absolutely loved the event. Friday night - really great intro to the event, opportunity to mingle and meet people, really enjoyed Dani's demonstration and meeting the exhibitors while it was a bit quieter. Saturday day - fantastic range of sessions, particularly enjoyed the morning mindfulness, gut health and mental health sessions, again lots of opportunities to meet people, enjoyed trying on wigs from exhibitors. Loved hearing Hannah sing!! Loved listening to Sue and all the other staff members and learning more about the charity. Saturday night - my favourite ! Loved the food, the atmosphere, the free drinks, the photo booth, getting dressed up, the fun we all had dancing! Best night I've had in a long time.
  
  
• Loved the vibe of how welcoming and empathetic people were. You could feel the love and warmth in the room from joining the back of the registration queue. The venue worked really well. The speakers were great and was really good to hear about JAKs. I was really glad to have been at all the speaker events in the main conference room, and also the Friday night and Sunday too.
  
  
• I loved the mindfulness session and the wellbeing sessions, the gut health was interesting and informative.
  
  
• Very organised with clear communication ahead of the event. A really welcoming feel with a great 'buzz' and great venue.
  
  
• 32 + Years with Alopecia it was good to be at an event with people with the same condition who understood and shared stories. The Talks were informative, the demonstrations helpful and the Exhibitors so friendly, understanding and helpful.
  
  
• Like being able to come on the Friday and do the ice breaker so it was less daunting turning up on the Saturday morning. I found the demonstrations with Dani, and the Q and A session with Trendco really useful as it was guided by questions and anyone could just ask as it went through.
  
  
• I particularly found the Androgenetic & Scarring Types of Alopecia & Alopecia My Way sessions extremely informative. I enjoyed every element of the event which was exceptionally well organised.
  
  
• It has helped me massively, it has allowed me to reflect on my own journey with alopecia and see how far I have come. I attended previously and was so nervous and anxious, and felt a lot more comfortable in myself this time. I would like to use this to support others who felt less comfortable or are just beginning their journey with alopecia.
  
  
• It was a great help speaking to fellow alopecians (first time for me in 57 years!). I don't feel quite so isolated now. Of course I always knew they were out there somewhere, I just hadn't met them. Thank you for making it happen for me.
  
  
• Confidence in managing alopecia my own way. I don’t like or want to wear wigs but I had been feeling like I should conform, the event reassured me there is no right or wrong way & I just need to be me
  
  
• My daughter who has alopecia - found her people ! She was giddy with excitement - like she had been given the golden ticket to an exclusive event ! It was a magical weekend - thank you
  
  
• I have made some great connections with people I would not otherwise have met. I’m blown away by the kindness shown by everyone I met!
  
  
• It felt so positive and refreshing to see that the charity has so much energy behind it. Also to feel 'the norm' amongst people with shared experiences is pretty amazing.
  
  
• It has put my mind at rest as to what to expect and how I will be able to comfortably manage my Alopecia.  I am no longer in panic mode!
  
  
• 100%. As a result of the event I have set a goal to be more open about my alopecia to help create awareness. Be my own advocate. I've already talked to my manager about doing a little talk in an upcoming team meeting.
  
  
• Great feel good factor - It has made me feel more normal - or actually I should say special as I admired pretty much everyone I met!
  
  
• I actually felt it gave my partner a real boost for which I feel indebted.  Meeting everyone was a lovely experience and as I talked to people I felt sharing our experience at home was rewarding too.
  
  
• I feel less isolated. Meeting as part of a community was so important as we have so much to learn from each other