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South London Makerspace

There's a certain property that has criminally been left empty in the centre of Brixton for ages/ I'm going to do a feature in it shortly and suggest that it could/should be used for things like Makerspace.

Crispy are you happy to take on short term spaces or are you only after a permanent space?
Yes, short term is fine. Anything from 3 to 12 months, although more than 6 is better. We really just need somewhere to get started and raise money for somewhere more settled.

Is it the building between popes road and the station? We've made some enquiries and only hit brick walls. Resolutely land-banked as far as we know.
 
It might be worth approaching Lexadon. The Angel is still empty downstairs and they have several other empty buildings around Brixton. And I know that Jerry Knight reads these boards :)
 
My first reaction was that two months is too short a time to be worth the effort really.

On the other hand, it's a great spot, so could be good for recruiting new people and finding money.

If you go for it, I think it's important that you treat it as an 8 week recruitment drive rather than 'a home', otherwise it could look and feel like a false start.

So schedule lots of workshops/making sessions and get some publicity off the the back of them. And hang around the farmers market and cafes at the weekend roping people in.

And I wonder if you could rent/borrow some interesting equipment for the duration?
 
That's my thought too. We're going to try and organise an on-site meeting next week so we can talk it over with interested people

It can be a place to show people what we want to do: councillors, landlords etc.

Interestingly, there's a laser cutting workshop round the corner. I wonder if they have a "spare" machine :D
 
We need to make a decision by next Monday. If you want help make that decision, then please come to our Make Day meeting at the London College of Communication at Elephant, this Saturday from 10am-4pm, but the critical time is 1pm when we'll do a short presentation and lay all the facts out. We'll be in the cafe area immediately on the right as you go in the front door.

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We've opened up our system for paying members: https://members.southlondonmakerspace.org

All we've got to offer right now in return is hope and a monthly meeting. But if you want to help us in the strongest possible way, your money would be most welcome :)

You must be 18 or over to join, and have a UK bank account from which we can take a direct debit. By joining South London Makerspace, you become a part of the company and agree to all the terms in our Articles of Association which you can read here.

It's a long and wordy legal document, but the important parts are:
  1. All funds must be used to further the aims of the company, that is "to promote and encourage creative, technical and scientific skills through social collaboration and education; and to provide and maintain shared community workspace and equipment in Greater London."
  2. No member (including the Trustees) may take profit or remuneration from the company.
  3. All members are liable for just £1 to be paid in the event that the company must be wound up.
The tl;dr of which is: your money will only be used for good, and you will never owe us more than a pound if we have to shut down.
 
It's happening!

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For April and May, we will be open to new members at 27-29 Norwood Road, Herne Hill. This will cost us about £2000 in rates, bills, insurance etc. We have half that money already, and already have quite a bit of the rest pledged. If you would help us out, then you can become a member for those two months in return for a one-time donation. Read all about it: http://southlondonmakerspace.org/2014/03/23/full-speed-ahead/
 
And there's the Herne Hill Forum, of course :thumbs:
We've actually had a lot of help from Giles off of there. He sold the landlord on our project and has been a very useful source of local contacts :)

If those tables and chairs are still available, then we'll probably want to come and pick them up as soon as next weekend if that's ok?
 
Next weekend is fine. There's also other random stuff in my garage which might be useful (shelving, kettle, mugs, my Dad's workmate, a ladder etc).

I have a hatchback car and can ferry stuff if that helps. Are you planning on hiring a van?
 
One of our members has a long-base landrover, so I suspect we'll be using that. We'll be in touch :)
 
Met the landlord, agreed the terms, shook hands.
Getting the lease written up with help from the Meanwhile Space charity over the next couple of days.
Signing the lease Friday night or Saturday morning.
Getting the keys immediately after.

SLMS is go!
 
Looking better already :) Hope to get the painting done tonight, then fill the weekend with setting up. 1st open evening COMING SOON!

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PS: If anyone fancies helping out with the painting, come on down to Herne Hill this evening. Go on, it's great fun.
 
passed this last night looking spruced up and ready to go
well done getting this far
intend to join when pay day comes round
 
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