9

Lucy Rogers

COLUMN SPARK

elonging’ is an

interesting feeling.

I was born in

Hampshire, but

grew up in Kent. I

went to university

in Lancashire but my first proper job was

in Tyne and Wear. Am I English? British?

European? Human?

Tribes, such as football supporters,

always made me feel uncomfortable. It

seemed you either had to be part of ‘us’ or

you were part of ‘them’.

I have always felt a little bit like an

outsider. Accepted, but never really part

of the team. But, I have also felt that I

could float easily

between many

different crowds.

Recently, I saw

myself referred to as

‘our Lucy’. The ‘team’

in this instance

was the maker

community, and

that warm glow of

belonging, of being

part of something bigger than just me, was

amazing. I suddenly ‘got’ why people want

to be part of something.

So, I started to look at where people

get this sense of belonging. It used to be

our location, our churches, our extended

family. But with the internet, we can find

people who are more ‘like us’, who share

our dreams, our goals, our interests –

when maybe no one else in our locality

shares them.

There are many other communities out

there, many of which I am/was oblivious

to. For example, there’s the Rocky Horror

community. I went along to a show

recently because I was pushing my

comfort zone boundaries:

I am not keen on:

1) Dressing up

2) Music

3) Audience participation

The evening was spectacular and I

thoroughly enjoyed it. I was chatting

with people who have been going to

Rocky Horror screenings for twenty

or more years. Those who knew every

word, nuance, and comeback. Those

who had made outfits that were perfect

to the originals

• even down
  to the holes in
  the stockings.
  And as I had put
  in the effort to
  dress up, (I went
  as Magenta,
  and no, I won’t
  be publishing
  photos), I was
  accepted and respected immediately. I
  was welcomed in to the club. Although
  I don’t think that I will become a Rocky
  Horror regular, I appreciate what the
  people who do go get out of it.
  I love the feeling of belonging that
  the maker community offers me. It
  doesn’t matter if you are a beginner
  or an expert, if you live in Brighton
  or Barbados, if you are young or old.
  If you get joy out of making things,
  and joy out of other people making
  things, then I feel you are part of my
  extended family.

The maker community

We all need somewhere to belong

Lucy Rogers

@DrLucyRogers

Lucy is a maker, an engineer,

and a problem solver. She is

adept at bringing ideas to life.

She is one of the cheerleaders

for the maker industry and is

Maker-In-Chief for the Guild of

Makers: guildofmakers.org

‘B

Although I don’t think

that I will become a Rocky

Horror regular, I appreciate

what the people who do go

get out of it