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Funny Wonders Family During Lockdown – Hati Whitely
Next up in our peek at our creative alumni – Hati Whitely. Hati was a member of our Sapporo cohort – a group of young people who first got involved in the mid-noughties, tempted by a trip to Sapporo, Japan.
FWinc Family: Hati Whitely
Lockdown Location: Sheffield, UK
Current Work Status: a little bit furloughed, a little bit self-employed
Usually a writer, outdoor instructor, climbing coach and climbing wall receptionist who spends as much time as possible climbing, Hati now has a whole lot of free time to channel into her creative pursuits – mainly writing and doing “silly” drawings (see picture below). Hati writes about the outdoors and adventure from the perspective of someone who is “rather average at both” (her words!), focusing on human experience rather than athletic performance.
On Funny Wonders, Hati writes: “as a self-conscious 14-year-old girl who was desperate to fit in and be fashionable, Funny Wonders was exactly what I needed. Chris and Doug provided an antidote to the pressures of school politics and cliques, like a kind of creative family where you could express yourself free from judgement and mockery. It was an inclusive, vibrant and invigorating community to be part of.
For many of us, it doesn’t come naturally to share things you’ve created without fearing the reception. I’m certainly one of those people; but being part of Funny Wonders has taught me a lot about having confidence in your creations and sharing them because they might make at least one person feel good, rather than focusing on the potential for embarrassment if things don’t quite work out. 14 years down the line, it’s still a liberating feeling!“
You’ll find Hati’s writing at www.lerockyroad.com, or you can follow her on Facebook at facebook.com/lerockyroad.
