Here, she writes about "the lovely Brian Taylor" and making her first conference speech in autumn 2006.

Shabnum Mustapha, with Nicol Stephen and Menzies Campbell

Conference is a great time for members to come together to discuss and debate policy and to find out more about the key issues in Scotland by talking to the many organisations hosting exhibition stands or attending fringe meetings.

Then there is the social aspect.

Conference is a great place to catch up with like-minded people and to network with our parliamentarians, not to mention the various receptions and dinners going on.

Having been at conference in different capacities, the experiences are also different.

When I've been at conference through work with our exhibition stand, the main job is to talk to delegates about the organisation's issues.

You're also trying to catch parliamentarians to come to the stand for a chat and even better if you can get a photo for your website or publications.

My first conference speech was in autumn 2006 and I've never been so nervous in my life

Organising fringe meetings can be very stressful as you're handing out flyers, getting people's interest and cajoling delegates to come along to your event.

Also, putting up posters can bring out the competitive nature in some fringe organisers as we all try to find prime spots to attract delegates.

Toilet doors are usually the first port of call.

As a member, however, you have more time to get involved in the meat of policy-making and also in participating in the debates.

Buck's Fizz

My first conference speech was in autumn 2006 and I've never been so nervous in my life.

I spoke about anti-social behaviour and how we need to provide things for children and young people to do, so they are not getting involved in such behaviour in the first place.

Even better that I got a laugh at my joke about the time I got Buckfast confused with Buck's Fizz.

Conference can be very exhausting, either as a member or in a commercial capacity.