We’ve now got 59 paid up Founder Members, almost all of whom have been dropping in and using (or building!) the space in recent weeks.
If you’ve not seen the space recently there’s been lots of activity – check out the pictures below.
January is going to be incredibly busy as we get ready to open! Even though we expect the opening in February to be a soft launch, with Makespace continuing to grow and evolve through the year, there’s still plenty of things to do before February…
On the admin side, the Directors need to finalise the fire risk assessment; we’ve already booked in fire extinguishers and fire detection to be fitted in January. We also need to write the first aid policy and arrange first aid training for some members. The induction materials for new members need to be created, and we need to work out the details of how events in Makespace work so that they are safe and enjoyable.
The start of 2013 marks a shift in dynamic for Makespace too. 2012 was dominated by the legal and administrative details of securing the space and getting a framework in place so the community could own and run it. This work is nearly finished and so the Directors (especially Laura James who has devoted significant time to Makespace in 2012 in an executive role) will be acting as much more conventional non-exec directors, looking after the legal and financial sides to enable the community to really organise and run the space. (Of course, all three directors are also community members and will remain active in that capacity!) So the holidays mark the pivot to a member-run space and community – yay!
The community are also going to be busy. Before we open we need to have systems around equipment tracking and maintenance in place; a team of people to look after event organisation and space booking; another team to think about sponsorship; and processes around how new members will join us. We’ve got more fit-out to do (ideally the kitchen needs to be completed; there’s painting to do and carpet tiles to fit and sorting out of the kit we already have). There’s also more purchases to make; to be up to a basic level where we feel able to open, we need at least a few more bits and ideally quite a bit more. The Directors feel the absolute minimum acceptable kit we need on top of what we had at the start of December will be:
* 2x proper solder stations
* laser cutter
* milling machine
* good consumables bank (everything from pens to resistors)
* workbench with vices
But of course we’d love to (and expect to!) see more kit and furniture and bits, and so a drive for Founder Sponsors is underway. Founder Sponsors are organisations who believe Makespace is vital for the continuing and growing success of the Cambridge region in engineering, design and manufacturing, and that community engagement with technology is an essential part of this. Founder Sponsors will contribute significant financial support to Makespace to support and enable our opening and first months. If your company would like to get involved with Makespace in this way, contact management @ makespace.org
Founder members will be dropping in to the space over the holidays, to map out the electrical circuits more, to paint, to play with Lego and to 3D print things and more. Have a Merry Christmas everyone, get excited and make things, and hope to see you in Makespace in 2013!
Christmas lights, a sofa and a sound system:
A working, plumbed-in sink (thanks Dan and Roger and others!):
The room formerly known as the Library is now the Store Room (the former Store Room is now called the Office, and remains restricted access):
Lots more tools and lamps and bits of all kinds:
