Laura Czajkowski successfully applied to the UKGovCamp grant fund for help with their Surrey event on Saturday 2 August 2025.
BarCamp Surrey
Grant fund application:
Name: Laura Czajkowski.
Your email: laura.czajkowski@gmail.com
Event: BarCamp Surrey
Description: A one-day, community-driven Barcamp in Surrey, where individuals passionate about technology can gather, share knowledge, and learn from one another in an open and inclusive environment. There will be no pre-planned schedule; attendees will propose and deliver talks on topics they’re passionate about, ranging from beginner-friendly to advanced technical discussions. Whether you’re an enthusiast, a hobbyist, or a seasoned professional, everyone is welcome.
Focus Areas:
- Technology in Everyday Life: Topics like smart home setups, favorite gadgets, and practical tips,
- Project Spotlights: Sharing personal projects, open-source contributions, or GitHub repositories,
- Special Interests: Niche topics such as HAM radio, retro tech, or innovative DIY tech ideas,
- Offline Hobbies: Knitting, calligraphy, ‘zines.
Skill Levels: Tailored talks for beginners, intermediates, and experts.
The event aims to foster a welcoming, collaborative, and curious environment, celebrating the diversity of interests within the tech community.
Tickets available via website.
Amount requested: £750.
What the funding will be used for: We will allocate it to cover the venue hire first, and the remaining funds will go toward event facilities, including flip charts, sharpies, post-it notes, and other essentials.
About you, what you do, and your interest in running this event: The event is being organized by two experienced professionals: Laura Czajkowski, based in Godalming, who serves as the Head of Community at DragonflyDB, a database company. With over 20 years of experience in building communities and managing events, Laura brings a wealth of knowledge to this initiative. Joining her is Alan Pope, who leads Developer Relations at Anchore. Alan has been a prominent figure in the UK open source community for more than three decades and has successfully cultivated vibrant and thriving podcast communities. Together, we believe this event offers a fantastic opportunity for people in Surrey to connect, network, and learn in a welcoming and inspiring environment.
Feedback from UK Gov Camp Slack members:
Once an application is received, it’s posted in the #grant-fund channel for members to discuss and vote on.
The application was posted in Slack on Tuesday 25 February 2025.
It received 2 👍 approvals and 2 👎 rejections.
The treasurer has a casting vote and decided to approve the request.