Volunteering for FreeBMD or FreeREG?

[Margaret in Burton]

OH has said he would like to volunteer to transcribe records.

He is disabled and at home all day so has plenty of time on his hands.

Who do we contact to get him started?

[maggie_4_7]

FreeREG - Search UK Parish Register Indices

Its on the front page.

How to Volunteer.

I transcribe for them the software is pretty easy to use.

Edit to say: if you're interested in any particular area this link

http://www.freereg.org.uk/parishes/index.shtml

This gives you a list of co-ordinators and I think you can contact them direct by email, I know I did.

[WendyPusey]

If you go onto FreeBMD and click on Join FreeBMD you will find all the info you need.

http://freebmd.org.uk/Signup.html

You will have to find a co-ordinator and join their group. If you can join Jeff Coleman's group, which is the one I'm in, then you will find him very helpful.

FreeReg is very slow at answering you if they have Parishes that aren't covered yet. I tried to do hampshire and Isle of Wight, but am still waiting 18 months on.

[maggie_4_7]

I got a response direct from the co-ordinator within a couple of days on FreeREG. But I suppose it depends which co-ordinator it is and what area they are covering.

[Margaret in Burton]

OH has sent an email to FreeReg and volunteered for Staffordshire.

We will see how long it takes to get a reply.

[Kit]

Soon I hope Margaret. Some of my mob are from there.

[wulliam]

Gordon Warrington of Lincs FreeREG is very quick to respond.

[maggie_4_7]

OH has sent an email to FreeReg and volunteered for Staffordshire.

We will see how long it takes to get a reply.

Hopefully you'll get a reply quite soon. Let us know. I am doing baptisms for Norfolk at the moment.

[Margaret in Burton]

Still no reply from FreeReg. He also contacted FreeBMD and got a reply almost straight away.

He's doing his first scan now.

It looks so easy that I have just volunteered myself.

Something to do in the long dark winter evenings.

[Northern Light]

Well done Margaret and hubby

We would be totally lost without FreeBMD, To everyone that contributes a BIG Thank You..

[Janet]

I agree. Those volunteers on Free BMD and Free Reg are doing such wonderful work.

Janet

[Christine in Herts]

Not forgetting FreeCEN

Christine

[Glen in Tinsel Knickers]

Gordon Warrington of Lincs FreeREG is very quick to respond.

When i tried i had a quick response but no backup whatsoever, not even templates for the data entry. It was my first (and only) attempt at transcribing.

I did send a few e-mails with questions that went unanswered and found it rather strange to get e-mails asking if i had completed the 6000 marriages i had been sent (a scan of a 1960's typed book of Phillimores) just three days after i had received it.


I can't say for sure this is the same guy but if it is i wouldn't go back for seconds, the attitude was "here you go, get it done",

[maggie_4_7]

I transcribe for FreeREG and I have found them to be very helpful and my co-ordinator was very helpful too.

The software is easy to download (you have to download WinREG) and use and its pretty easy to upload the transcriptions once done - it's not rocket science.

You receive your images on CD and transcribe to database and upload as soon as possible - doesn't matter how many you've managed to do - its paramount to get the information online as soon as possible. Even if you've only done 10 those 10 might make a difference to someone out there.

Also the expectations as far as I'm concerned is that they are very happy with whatever you can manage to do whenever you can do them.

Perhaps you were just unlucky with your co-ordinator!

[maggie_4_7]

Still no reply from FreeReg. He also contacted FreeBMD and got a reply almost straight away.

He's doing his first scan now.

It looks so easy that I have just volunteered myself.

Something to do in the long dark winter evenings.

Oh that's a shame that you've had no response from FreeREG - I think by looking at the list Dave Ogden is the Staffordshire co-ordinator.

I think Kirk Dawson made a post regarding the search criteria on FreeREG on a thread in the last few days...

Anyway good luck with the transcribing for FreeBMD- it can get tedious after a while ;) but there's someone on the end of a keyboard just waiting for that hit.

[WendyPusey]

I have just contacted FreeReg and offered to transcribe for them. Told them I was interested in Hampshire & IOW, but that there are no co-ordinators. Just had a quick reply and the person is going to find me some Hampshire Parishes to do tomorrow and look into the IOW as well.

Certainly a much quicker response than last time.

[Margaret in Burton]

I have just done my first scan for FreeBMD.

I also volunteered for FreeReg but put more counties down than OH. I have been excepted for Nottinghamshire.

[maggie_4_7]

I have just contacted FreeReg and offered to transcribe for them. Told them I was interested in Hampshire & IOW, but that there are no co-ordinators. Just had a quick reply and the person is going to find me some Hampshire Parishes to do tomorrow and look into the IOW as well.

Certainly a much quicker response than last time.

Maybe they're more organised now than then.

Good I am pleased.

[maggie_4_7]

I have just done my first scan for FreeBMD.

I also volunteered for FreeReg but put more counties down than OH. I have been excepted for Nottinghamshire.

Oh good so you're doing Nottinghamshire for FreeREG?

Its very tedious but someone out there will be happy when they find the information.

I know I am when I find even a morsel of information.

[WendyPusey]

Just this minute received a text file for some Hampshire Marriages. Keep me busy for a while.