You're never too young to enjoy The Gathering

I have been going to The Gathering for 10 years now, it’s a great event and I come home every year with a bag full of free stuff such as pens, highlighters, post it notes, sweets and chocolates as well lots of other goodies. There is another reason I go along to The Gathering - it’s not just because it’s free, it’s not to go to any of the events taking place, it’s not because I want to network with thousands of people, it's not even that I may see someone famous rehearsing for a concert at the SECC - the reason I go to the Gathering is to see Uncle Alex who organises The Gathering.

The reason I go to the Gathering is to see Uncle Alex who organises The Gathering

Uncle is always so busy (or stressed as my Mum says) with work before The Gathering he doesn’t have the time to come and see me and my sisters and brother in February. He’s always “putting the finishing touches to The Gathering”, whatever that means. I remember going to The Gathering with my Mum and Dad in my buggy when I was really wee before I started school. I thought that Uncle worked at The Gathering and it was at the SECC every day and that all Uncle done was walk around The Gathering saying hello to people, drinking coffee and getting me goodies from all the hundreds of people who were in the exhibition hall. Now that I’m 11, I realise that Uncle doesn’t do this every day, its only 2 days a year, most of the time he works in an office at a desk on a computer which doesn’t have any games on it! I suppose that’s ok, but I now need to think about what I want to do for a job when I’m bigger and leave school. I did want to be like Uncle and work somewhere fun where you can get lots of free stuff, but if he only does this 2 days a year then I may just want to be a footballer or astronaut or something more fun. I am coming back to The Gathering this year. Uncle told me that this year I’ll not only be able to get lots of free stuff, but there are some cool things happening in the exhibition hall. I'm going to get a shot at driving in the Simulated Driving Experience, there’s a booth where we can get selfies done that I can put on my Facebook page and share with my friends, if my sisters are coming they can get their hair and nails done in the beauty and therapy zone, and my Mum and Dad can go to the health assessment zone for a complimentary health check which may make them stop smoking. I hope to see you all The Gathering this year, but more importantly hope Uncle can spend time with us when we are there showing me where the best freebies are!