A BULLIED teenage girl interested in computer games, Japanese cartoons and other ‘geeky things’ started a get-together with fellow geeks eight years ago which has grown into a huge convention at Sheffield Arena attracting more than 6,000 people.
Kathrine Furniss and her partner Jon Higson run the annual Yorkshire Cosplay Con (short for costume play) which has been running for eight years, and will in June be held for the third time at Sheffield Arena.
More than 6,000 attended last year’s event - despite fears it would flop as it came just two weeks after the terrorist attack at Manchester Arena - and this year even more are expected to attend.
Special guest star is voice actor Billy West, who has voiced characters including Bugs Bunny, Elmer Fudd, Shaggy from Scooby-Doo, Popeye and Woody Woodpecker, as well as most of the main characters in Futurama, the sci-fi cartoon from the makers of the Simpsons.
He is also the voice of the ‘red M&M in the adverts for the American sweets, and both the lead characters on the Ren and Stimpy Show.
“I honestly never thought it would amount to anything,” said Kathrine, whose full time job is organising the convention and other Cosplay events.
She had a hard time growing up in Thurnscoe because she didn’t fit in and wasn’t into the same stuff as other girls her age.
“I was even home schooled when I was 15 it got that bad,” said Kathrine, 27, of Hickleton Court, Thurnscoe.
“I used to get beaten up. The other girls were interested in boys and makeup, I was more interested in computer games, and retro games consoles.”
Aged 19 and feeling like an outcast, she decided to organise an event where people who had similar interests could come together.
“I wanted a place I could go to meet people who had similar interests.
“It was difficult growing up because there weren’t that many girls who were outgoing enough to say they liked this sort of stuff.
“I was hoping to bring a few people together to make some new friends, and so those friends could make friends. People just took to it.
“It’s been a lifeline to to a lot of people.”
The event has grown bigger and bigger each year, at one time supported by Enterprising Barnsley.
“It’s a place where you can wear what want, do what you want, and just know you’re not going to be judged,” she said.
Jon said Billy West was a huge draw to this year’s event. “I was out leafleting in Leeds, and when I told this one chap Billy was coming. He started getting emotional on me. He couldn’t actually believe he was coming, and it literally had him in tears.
“It’s such a great feeling knowing how much the event means to people.”
Kathrine and Jon are looking into the possibility of organising regular events or clubs for people, especially young people, to get together regularly to share their interests.
“I don’t just want YCC to be just an event, I would love to start a club that young people can go to and be involved in creative activities such as making costumes, singing, dancing, drawing and other forms of talent,” said Kathrine.
“We want to give people a place to go and meet-up with like-minded people who enjoy geek culture.”
This year’s convention will also feature as a guest Josh Grelle, a video gaming and Anime voice actor famous for Armin from Attack on Titan and Yuri from Yuri on Ice.
There will also be other special guests signing and taking photos with attendees, live stage entertainment, more than 250 traders, authors and artists, a talent contest, costume contest, art contest, costume characters such as super heroes, Star Wars characters and princesses, life-size dinosaur with ‘Jurassic Jeep’, Tardis and Daleks, a large video gaming area, arcade games, modern and retro consoles, a Lego building and workshop area, pirates and real parrots.
The event raised £3,000 for various charities last year including Ashgate Hospice and Hallam FM’s Cash for Kids.
See yccevents.co.uk for more details.
