I have to disagree with some of you here, as I think that Venture is an outrageous rip off. The £25 for a session ("discounted from £125") plus 1 photo is a standard offer they run all yr round, under various names to suit the season - Mother's Day, Father's Day, Christmas, etc.
My friend also "won" one of the prize draws. She later told me they'd taken her post code (she lives in a wealthy area) on the application form, and she thought they selected on that basis. If they do, it's a good scheme, as she ended up paying about £1600 for some pictures! (she got 1 of the 9 shot big pictures, and 1 3 shot one).
We did a session with them and when I realised how much they charged for the photos, I said I wasn't interested in buying any. I was still getting calls from them 6 months later, trying to get me to "reconsider". I kept telling them we simply couldn't afford £250 for a photo, but they just wouldn't get the message.
I think if they would sell the images unframed, they might do a lot more business, but the prices they charge as it is are just outrageous.
Although I felt sad at the time that we couldn't afford to get any more pictures, I'm glad now, as several of my friends have had their children done, and the pictures are in such a distinctive style that it's a bit like a dress from Boden or Monsoon - perfectly nice, until you realise that everyone knows where you got it, and quite a few people have got something very similar! For that sort of money I'd want something a bit more personal.
I've been looking around locally and have found 2 or 3 really well-recommended photgraphers who will come to your house, or the location of your choice (favourite park, duck pond, whatever) and take lots of pics of your children, and the prices they charge for the finished product are a lot more reasonable, for a much more individual result. When we've saved up a bit, I think that's what we'll do.