We're really proud to be Geeks, say Shropshire friends
Geek chic is all the rage – and one group of friends in Shropshire is positively proud of its credentials.
Shropshire Geek Society was set up six years ago, long before the term became cool.
Now the group is organising a conference for fellow geeks, so like-minded people can get together and talk about issues such as web design and computer programmes.
And the idea may even land them with an award, with Net magazine nominating the conference for an award.
The first event was held last year, and another is planned for September in memory of Dean Thorne, one of the founding members of the Geek Society.
Dean died of a heart condition in 2009, aged 25, and close friend Kirsty Burgoine, from Radbroke, Shrewsbury said: "The conference was his idea. But we never got round to making any plans, so the conference will he held in memory of Dean."
Dean, Kirsty, and Zach Beauvais set up the club to find people they could talk computing and mathmatics with. They were all involved with the web industry and living in Shropshire at the time.
Since then, celebrities including Brian Cox and Gareth Malone, along with TV shows like the Big Bang Theory, have popularised the concept of being a geek.
Kirsty, 36, who runs her own web design business said: "We got chatting online and that's how the idea got started."
Zach used to live in Ludlow but has now moved to Cambridge, and stays involved with the events.
Kirsty said: "We have been running for six years, and it was a casual meet-up for like-minded people in Shropshire. We didn't meet all that regularly, but now we meet up on the first Friday of every month because it just grew and grew."
The society holds various events during the year, and the conference will be attended by more than 200 people.
Kirsty said: "We are so chuffed to be in the Net Awards, we never thought this would happen in a million years.
"The Net magazine is read by people all over the world so it is a big deal."
Shropshire Geek Society has more than 1,000 followers on Twitter, but Kirsty is keen to shed boffin image of its members.
She said: "We've got all sorts of different people, it is not about proving your prowess as a geek. Anybody who is interested in technology or something creative, we have lots of people like that. We are such a friendly community, and we've grown just by spreading the word online."
The Net Awards celebrate the best in web design and development, and voting closes on March 31.
The conference will be held at Shrewsbury Hospital Conference Centre on September 26. For details of Shropshire Geek Society visit the website here or follow them on Twitter here.
