For a few months now I have been involved with the Ipswich Makerspace (formerly Ipswich Hackspace) group. The aim is to find a way to find somewhere permanent where we can set up equipment, make stuff, learn and teach. For now, though, we are limited to meeting from time to time in borrowed premises.

Yesterday I went along to a meeting at Trinity Bungalow near the University. This used to be living accommodation associated with the nearby Holy Trinity church, but is now available for rent as meeting rooms. It has power, tables and chairs, wifi and a kettle for tea and coffee, so we are good to go. The church also has a larger hall available for hire, so as and when we grow or hold larger events that is also a possibility.

There was only a relatively small turnout this time, but we still managed to have a good time, showing and discussing each others projects as well as possibilities for the future of the group.
Steve Chalkley brought some big boxes of surplus electronic bits and bobs to help stimulate creativity, Keith Ellis showed progress on his Raspberry Pi Robot, now with a graphical display for menus, and Tim talked through some ideas for a presentation about lessons from history for the maker movement. I showed a work-in-progress Raspberry Pi and Arduino mashup, which I hope to write about here soon.

I left the meeting having agreed to lead a teaching session in two weeks time; now I just need to think what I can do it on!