National Family History Month is is an initiative of AFFHO, the Australasian Federation of Family History Organisations and started as a week in 2006 and extended to a month from 2013. It is held annually in August in Australia and New Zealand and there are just over four weeks to go.

Major sponsors for 2014 are AFFHO, Ancestry.com.au and FamilySearch. The National Archives of Australia have agreed to host the launch again, something they have done since 2006.

Prize sponsors this year include in alphabetical order: AFFHO, AFFHO Congress 2015, Ancestry.com.au,  Australian Family Tree Connections, Biographical Database of Australia, FamilySearch, Findmypast.com.au, genEbooks, Gould Genealogy and History, Inside History Magazine, MyHeritage, National Institute of Genealogical Studies, NSW & ACT Association of Family History Societies,  Shauna Hicks History Enterprises and Unlock the Past. There are prizes for participating genealogy and family history societies and individuals. Details of the competitions and prize draws will be announced closer to August. Visit the Sponsors page on the NFHM website for prize details.

There is a NFHM Facebook page and recently we reached 1000 Likes. Why not help us reach 2000 Likes!

Genealogy and family history societies, libraries, archives and others have been placing their events for the month in the NFHM web calendar. Visit the web calendar to see what events are being held near you. Events are still being added to the calendar and notices of new events are being advertised through the Facebook page.

It would be wonderful if everyone could encourage their local genealogy and family history society to do an event in August. It could be as simple as renaming the August monthly meeting to NFHM monthly meeting or having one of the library days as an open day for NFHM. Public libraries, archives, historical societies, museums and anyone interested in genealogy and family history are welcome to add their events. This year for the first time there is a category for online events. It is easy to add an event, simply click on the link and provide all the details, including time of event.

The NFHM 2014 flyer is available on the NFHM Home page. The flyer can be used to help promote your events and if you are stuck for ideas, have a look at the 2013 list of events which is also available from the NFHM Home page.

Please join AFFHO and our sponsors in making NFHM 2014 our biggest and most successful August ever!