Starting with Bournemouth 2600
After the pandemic, a few local heroes rekindled Bournemouth 2600, a monthly meetup inspired by the global hacker gatherings of the same name. The idea was simple: get together regularly to chat about cyber security, technology, and whatever interesting topics people wanted to share. We quickly found that the best part of these meetups wasn’t just the talks themselves, rather the community that formed around them.
Over time, Bournemouth 2600 grew beyond informal conversations into a space where people regularly delivered talks and demonstrations. Each month, members of the local community, students, seasoned security professionals, hobbyists, and even newcomers, stepped up to share what they knew. It became something genuinely special: a small but meaningful platform that encouraged people to learn from each other, collaborate, and grow their confidence.
And this same crew have always been avid BSides attendees. We organise roadtrips and even spend nights in shared Airbnbs to be able to take part in these events and support our guys who, more often than not, deliver amazing talks at them.
Eventually, it became obvious that our 2600 meetup had developed into something resembling a miniature BSides event each month. With all that momentum and enthusiasm already in place, creating a dedicated BSides Bournemouth felt like the natural next step.
Why BSides Bournemouth?
Our organising team is full of people who have attended and loved BSides events around the UK. From those experiences, we’ve learned what we believe are the true pillars of any good cybersecurity conference:
- The people, and the friendships you make
- The talks, and the things you learn
BSides Bournemouth is built around these pillars.
It’s a chance for people in our local area (and beyond) to give talks, learn new things, and make valuable connections. We’re particularly excited about giving people opportunities they might not usually have elsewhere, especially students and newcomers delivering their first talk, or experienced professionals sharing unique perspectives in an informal setting.
We believe Bournemouth and the area have a strong community to make an event like this succeed, and we’re proud to create a space where everyone is welcome and encouraged to contribute.
How Cydea’s Support Fits In
I work at Cydea, and when I mentioned I was taking the lead organising BSides Bournemouth, the team’s response was clear and straightforward: “That sounds great, how can we help?”
Before we even had defined sponsorship tiers, they contributed to the venue deposit. At that stage, the event was still an idea and a lot of hope.
Cydea’s sponsorship, as well as everyone else who believed in us and took part, helps us to run a better event. It provides practical benefits: covering venue and logistics costs, improving facilities, and ensuring the event stays accessible and affordable to everyone who wants to attend.
Cydea will have a stand and their logo on the site, like any other sponsor. That’s standard. But that’s not really the point. They supported this because someone needed to, and they knew it would make a difference.
Come Join Us!
BSides Bournemouth is coming up soon, and we’d love for you to join us. Whether you want to learn, speak, or simply meet other curious people who share your interests, you’ll be warmly welcomed.
More details are available at https://bsides-bournemouth.org.
We hope to see you there!
Penny Yap
Ray Morrison
Helen Giddings