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Co-authored-by: Ana Galan <anaghz@fsfe.org>
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fsfe.org/news/2025/news-20250827-01.en.xhtml
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<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<html newsdate="2025-08-27">
<version>1</version>
<version>2</version>
<head>
<title>How we celebrate "I Love Free Software Day" in Potteries, UK</title>
@@ -10,43 +10,62 @@
<h1>How we celebrate "I Love Free Software Day" in Potteries, UK</h1>
<p>Every year on 14 February we celebrate our "I Love Free Software Day". On this day we thank all Free Software contributors
for their commitment to use, study, share and improve Free Software. Without them there is no software freedom. We want to
thank the all for contributing to Free Software &lt;3</p>
<p>Every year "I Love Free Software Day" is celebrated, where
we thank all Free Software contributors for their commitment
to use, study, share and improve Free Software. Without them there is no
software freedom. We want to thank the all for contributing to Free
Software &lt;3</p>
<figure>
<img src="https://pics.fsfe.org/uploads/medium/41/a3/89f6c590dc15f200a968cc6876a9.jpg"
alt="A red heart with ones and zeros in a white background also consisting of ones and zeros."/>
</figure>
<p>To mark this special occasion the <a href="/about/groups.html">FSFE's
local groups</a> organise local events and celebrations. Each celebration is unique and show-casts the commitment of our
community. From local gatherings with pizza and fun Free Software games from our <a
href="https://download.fsfe.org/campaigns/ilovefs/toolkit/">toolkit</a> to larger events addressing new people with talks and networking.</p>
<p>One local group has been celebrating the “I Love Free Software Day” for the past 3 years – <a href="https://docs.fsfe.org/en/LocalGroups/Active/Potteries/Potteries" > our group in Potteries, UK</a>. But to take you back
to the beginning of the FSFE local group meetings in the UK we have to go back to 1999. In 1999 a local Linux user group started and organised
meetings, talks and many other activities. In 2019 the local group met a long-term volunteer from the FSFE at a conference. They hit it of and
started talking about Free Software and this was the beginning of a new era for the local FSFE group in Potteries. For now six years the local
group has stayed active and participated in various FSFE activities. Read more about the only FSFE local group on British soil and their
celebration of the “I Love Free Software Day”. </p>
<p>To mark this special occasion the <a href="/about/groups.html">FSFE's
local groups</a> organise local events and celebrations. Each
celebration is unique and show-casts the commitment of our community.
From local gatherings with pizza and fun Free Software games,
to larger events addressing new people with talks and networking.</p>
<p>One local group has been celebrating “I Love Free Software Day” for
the past 3 years – <a
href="https://docs.fsfe.org/en/LocalGroups/Active/Potteries/Potteries">
that group is in The Potteries, UK</a>.
This local group has its origins back in 1999, when
a local Linux user group started organising meetings, talks and
many other activities. In 2019 members of the local LUG met a long-term volunteer
from the FSFE at a conference in Manchester. They hit it off and
began a new era by talking exclusively about Free Software with a new local FSFE
group being ran alongside. For six years this local group has stayed active
and participated in various FSFE activities. Read more about the only
FSFE local group in the UK and their celebration of the “I Love
Free Software Day”.</p>
<figure class="float-right">
<img src="https://pics.fsfe.org/uploads/original/ad/e8/b904d65ed058148cf65b78986cfa.jpg" alt="Picture of a heart-shaped 'I Love FS' design with LEDs." />
</figure>
<div class="question">
<p><strong>FSFE</strong>: How many people are active in the group ? Can you also give us an overview of what Potteries is?</p>
<p>
<strong>FSFE</strong>: How many people are active in the group ? Can you
also give us an overview of what Potteries is?
</p>
</div>
<div class="answer">
<p><strong>Steven, FSFE local group Potteries coordinator</strong>: It is tough to put a number on it as we communicate through lots of
different channels, but it is not uncommon to see more than a dozen regulars at meetings, plus new faces that then often become new regulars!</p>
<p><strong>Steven, One of the FSFE Potteries coordinators</strong>: It is
tough to put a number on it as we communicate through lots of different
channels, but it is not uncommon to see more than a dozen regulars at
meetings, plus new faces that often then become new regulars!</p>
<p>We are situated right in the middle of England between Manchester and Birmingham. Most of the urban area of North Staffordshire
is known as ‘The Potteries’ due to the city of Stoke-on-Trent and the surrounding towns being historically instrumental in the ceramic
industry. It is a name that everyone local knows and understands, which is why we chose it. It is not uncommon to see many local groups
using the Potteries in its name, and the FSFE President signed off on the name!</p>
<p>We are situated right in the middle of England between Manchester and
Birmingham. Most of the urban area of North Staffordshire is known as
‘The Potteries’ due to the city of Stoke-on-Trent and the surrounding
towns being historically instrumental in the ceramic industry. It is a
name that everyone local knows and understands, which is why we chose
it. It is not uncommon to see many local groups using ‘Potteries’ in
its name, and the FSFE President signed off on our group with that name!</p>
</div>
@@ -55,45 +74,59 @@ using the Potteries in its name, and the FSFE President signed off on the name!<
</div>
<div class="answer">
<p><strong>Steven</strong>: Online the activities are mostly just organising meetings, people sharing their experiences,
and offering help and recommendations where they can. Workshop meetings involve using Free Software itself and attending
talks given by anyone that fancies sharing their knowledge. We also have socials particularly in the summer, as well as
trips to unconferences such as Oggcamp. At the moment we have two annual larger events which are ILoveFS and our end of
year Flörgåsbord! event which we co-run with other groups too.</p>
<p><strong>Steven</strong>: Online the activities are mostly just
organising meetings, people sharing their experiences, and offering help
and recommendations where they can. Workshop meetings involve using Free
Software itself and attending talks given by anyone that fancies sharing
their knowledge. We also have socials particularly in the summer, as
well as trips to unconferences such as Oggcamp. Our main
annual event is ILoveFS but we also help to run other events like the
Flörgåsbord! event too.</p>
</div>
<div class="question">
<p>
<strong>FSFE</strong>: When was the first time you celebrated the “I Love Free Software Day” and how did it work out?
<strong>FSFE</strong>: When was the first time you celebrated the “I
Love Free Software Day” and how did it work out?
</p>
</div>
<div class="answer">
<p><strong>Steven</strong>: The first time was Tuesday 14 February 2023 which initially we thought the date worked
really well. This is because we cooperatively take turns to run meetings on Tuesday evenings with other similar
local groups, increasing turn out as attendees always know to keep that evening free. We also used the same location
that we used for formal scheduled talks, which was not really a particularly social venue, more like a computer lab.</p>
<p><strong>Steven</strong>: The first time was Tuesday 14 February 2023
which initially we thought the date worked really well. This is because
we cooperatively take turns to run meetings on Tuesday evenings with
other similar local groups, increasing turn out as attendees always know
to keep that evening free. We also used the same location that we used
for formal scheduled talks, which was not really a particularly social
venue, more like a computer lab.</p>
<p>Unfortunately that is also Valentines Day and people in the UK take it quite seriously and so the turn out was not
great! We often got told their significant other would lynch them if they did not spend the evening with them!</p>
<p>Unfortunately that is also Valentines Day and people in the UK take it
quite seriously and so the turn out was not great! We often got told
that their significant others would lynch them if they did not spend the
evening with them!</p>
</div>
<figure>
<img src="https://pics.fsfe.org/uploads/small/62/a6/3de984f495f7a99d775153552205.jpg" alt="Stacked Pizza boxes in a room full of computers." />
<img src="https://pics.fsfe.org/uploads/medium/80/fd/18895b3994407263243924d129e9.jpg" alt="Whiteboard about Free Software with the 'I love FS' poster" />
<figcaption>First "I Love Free Software Day" celebrations in Potteries.</figcaption>
</figure>
<div class="question">
<p>
<strong>FSFE</strong>: How did the celebration of the “I Love Free Software Day” evolve over the next years and what was you personal highlight while celebrating this special day?
<strong>FSFE</strong>: How did the celebration of the “I Love Free
Software Day” evolve over the next years and what was you personal
highlight while celebrating this special day?
</p>
</div>
<div class="answer">
<p><strong>Steven</strong>: Well in subsequent years we were told we could use a date near to the 14 instead! So doing that,
together with using a great new sociable space, has meant things have worked perfectly ever since! I would have to say my
personal highlight was playing the games at ILoveFS 2025 event, that really helped to bring people together competing as
teams, rather than lots of little groups talking amongst themselves.</p>
<p><strong>Steven</strong>: Well in subsequent years we were told we could
use a date near to the 14th instead! So doing that, together with using a
great new sociable space, it has meant things have worked perfectly ever
since! I would have to say my personal highlight was playing the games
at the ILoveFS 2025 event, that really helped to bring people together
competing as teams, rather than lots of little groups talking amongst
themselves.</p>
</div>
<figure>
@@ -106,41 +139,56 @@ teams, rather than lots of little groups talking amongst themselves.</p>
</div>
<div class="answer">
<p><strong>Steven</strong>: Well we had the upstairs room of the KPA Clubhouse (on the Keele University campus) which is
a great free venue with plenty of character and comfortable seating. The room was decorated with plenty of balloons and
promotional material, as well as laptops loaded with Free Software that people could just pick up and try. Add to that
some great company, as well as free food and drinks and it was a brilliant atmosphere for playing the Free Software quiz
game, a quick presentation, and socialising about our love of Free Software, particularly those often forgotten smaller
and hidden projects we take for granted.</p>
<p><strong>Steven</strong>: Well we had the upstairs room of the KPA
Clubhouse (on the Keele University campus) which is a great free venue
with plenty of character and comfortable seating. The room was decorated
with plenty of balloons and promotional material, as well as laptops
loaded with Free Software that people could just pick up and try. Add to
that some great company, as well as free food and drinks and it was a
brilliant atmosphere for playing the Free Software quiz game, a quick
presentation, and socialising about our love of Free Software,
particularly those often forgotten smaller and hidden projects we take
for granted.</p>
</div>
<div class="question">
<p>
<strong>FSFE</strong>: What would you recommend to others when they want to organise an “I Love Free Software Day” celebrations and what are pitfalls you would say should be avoided?
<strong>FSFE</strong>: What would you recommend to others when they want
to organise an “I Love Free Software Day” celebrations and what are
pitfalls you would say should be avoided?
</p>
</div>
<div class="answer">
<p><strong>Steven</strong>: The first thing I would say is that if your event is not set up to easily explain what Free Software is
and why it is important, to literally anyone walking in off the street, then you’re not doing it right! Accessibility of the topic is
key, so if you have got a few spare laptops to run software that people will find familiar, but perhaps did not associate with
Free Software, that’s a great start! Add to that some welcoming regulars who have the patience and skill to explain things without
confusion (or fighting about which distro is better!) and you’re already off to a winning start. Try to steer conversations away from
being too heavy, keep things social and lighthearted, and offer people comfortable seating, drinks, and food to get them willing to
open up about their experiences.</p>
<p><strong>Steven</strong>: The first thing I would say is that if your
event is not set up to easily explain what Free Software is and why it
is important, to literally anyone walking in off the street, then you’re
not doing it right! Accessibility of the topic is key, so if you have
got a few spare laptops to run software that people will find familiar,
but perhaps did not associate with Free Software, that’s a great start!
Add to that some welcoming regulars who have the patience and skill to
explain things without confusion (or fighting about which distro is
better!) and you’re already off to a winning start. Try to steer
conversations away from being too heavy, keep things social and
lighthearted, and offer people comfortable seating, drinks, and food to
get them willing to open up about their experiences.</p>
</div>
<div class="question">
<p>
<strong>FSFE</strong>: Why do you think I Love Free Software Day is important and why should everybody be celebrating this day?
<strong>FSFE</strong>: Why do you think I Love Free Software Day is
important and why should everybody be celebrating this day?
</p>
</div>
<div class="answer">
<p><strong>Steven</strong>: Free Software should be celebrated and appreciated just as much as the concepts of democracy,
the rule of law, equal opportunities, and the free exchange of other information than just Software! Things that people take
for granted but took years of work to establish and constantly need defending. It is a great way to remind people that lots of
community spirit has gone into creating the tools we use every, which is often more and more powered by software.</p>
<p><strong>Steven</strong>: Free Software should be celebrated and
appreciated just as much as the concepts of democracy, the rule of law,
equal opportunities, and the free exchange of other information than
just Software! Things that people take for granted but took years of
work to establish and constantly need defending. It is a great way to
remind people that lots of community spirit has gone into creating the
tools we use every, which is often more and more powered by software.</p>
</div>
<banner><module id="banner-become-supporter" /></banner>
@@ -151,8 +199,10 @@ community spirit has gone into creating the tools we use every, which is often m
</div>
<div class="answer">
<p><strong>Steven</strong>: We plan to have a plan! The venue we used for the least two years has been a
great success, so we’ll be looking to mostly replicate that again in 2026 but this time with the focus on thanking maintainers.</p>
<p><strong>Steven</strong>: Yes, it'll be on the 10th February for 2026. Since the venue we used for
the least two years has been a great success, we’ll be looking to
mostly replicate that again in 2026 but this time with the focus on
thanking maintainers.</p>
</div>
<div class="question">
@@ -162,11 +212,7 @@ great success, so we’ll be looking to mostly replicate that again in 2026 but
</body>
<sidebar promo="our-work">
<cite><a href="https://ilovefs.org/"><strong>I Love Free Software Day 2026</strong></a> will be happening on the 14th of February.
On this day we will highlight the importance of all Free Software contributors. Join us and create your own event!</cite>
</sidebar>
</sidebar>
<tags>
<tag key="community">Community</tag>