Getting help to research your family history.

I'm not usually one for detailed New Year resolutions but  I've decided that this year I'm going to make more use of the many Family History Societies in the UK and beyond. I don't really view this as a resolution, more as a common sense decision. Although I've been researching for 33-34 years, I have never stopped learning.
Most activities and pastimes provide opportunities to acquire new knowledge, and genealogy does that in abundance.

All counties in the UK will have a record repository or archive, sometimes as a collaboration with another county. Their responsibility is to preserve and conserve historic records and documentation relevant to that county. It's also useful to remember that county lines have changed over the decades and centuries so records may not be where you expect to find them. 

So how are societies organised?

Most counties in the UK have their own society. Some societies cover two counties, for example Somerset and Dorset, but they may also be represented in other societies. Large counties, for example Yorkshire and Lancashire have several branches. Many cities and towns have their own societies so in terms of location, there is a lot of resource to call on. The issue of changing county lines will also apply to societies. 
Many of these societies have charitable status and are run by volunteers. What really stands out for me is that the volunteers have a tremendous amount of knowledge which they are happy to share far and wide,

What do Family History Societies provide?

All societies offer a range of different resources and it is down to the individual to do some research to see which society/societies will best meet their needs. Here are some of the benefits on offer selected from a range of different societies:

Postal, overseas or e-membership.
Several journals a year.
Regular meetings which can be face-to-face or online.
Volunteers and members who have extensive knowledge and experience of the locality represented by the society.
An online shop offering a range of products including workshops and courses, branded merchandise, books and maps. Many societies also offer their own publications, which are often datasets which have been transcribed by their volunteers and not available elsewhere.
Message boards and the ability to register surname interests.
A local history reference library.
A programme of trips to national repositories or places of interest.
Some societies will work collaboratively with their county archive, for example, having a designated space in which volunteers and enquirers can meet. 

UK membership seems to average £15 - £20 per year which I think is good value.
Non members can search for no cost but more detailed information will incur a cost. To get the best out of a society, you will need to subscribe.

Other societies are organised around themes. A couple I've found very useful when doing client research are https://www.fibis.org/ which covers families in British India as well as a website devoted to Romany and Traveller history at https://rtfhs.org.uk/ 

If your research leads you overseas, you will find numerous resources via the search engines.

Finally, a mention of the Online Parish Clerks scheme which is another very useful free resource. Check the Genuki portal to see if your county of interest is catered for. 

https://www.genuki.org.uk/big/OPC