Sheffield Hackspace DokuWiki

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===== Articles of Association =====

Also available on [[https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/09444723/filing-history|Companies House]].

{{ public:2025_articles_of_association.pdf |}}

{{ public:articles_of_association.pdf |}} (old)

===== Certificate of incorporation =====

{{ public:certificate_of_incorporation.pdf |}}

===== Declarations on Formation =====

{{ public:declarations_on_formation.pdf |}}

The text from the declarations on formation, typeset:

> //The company's activities will provide benefit to...//
>
> The company's activities will be carried out for the benefit of people in Sheffield and the surrounding area with an interest in "hardware hacking and Making": creative use of technology and tools for hobby-scale projects in fields such as computers, machining, technology, science, and digital or electronic art.

^ Activity ^ how the activity will benefit the community ^
| Providing and maintaining a community workshop, with the environment and tools suitable for a range of projects | Many creative hobbies require resources which are prohibitively expensive for individuals to buy or rent, such as suitable workspace, expensive or bulky tools (e.g., drill press, lasercutter, 3D printer, sewing machines), and consumables which are considerably cheaper when purchased in bulk (e.g., electronics components). By making these available to group members and visitors, the company will enable interested members of the community to pursue a wide range of creative and technological projects which would otherwise have been impossible. |
| Encouraging and facilitating teaching, knowledge exchange, and creative collaboration. | By attracting members with a wide range of backgrounds and interests to share resources, we will continue to create an environment in which members and visitors learn about each others' projects and techniques, and unexpected collaborations form organically. Additionally, by giving more formal talks and workshops at our own premises and at public events, we will introduce our members and the public to subjects and skills which can be difficult or daunting to pick up without the assistance of a welcoming commuity group. |

> //If the company makes any surplus it will be used for://
>
> Any surplus from membership fees and trading will be reinvested in the business, e.g., by providing new shared equipment or subsidising consumables.

===== CIC Reports =====

Every year, the Hackspace must write a CIC (Community Interest Company) Report, to prove that the business is… in the community interest. As above, these can also be found on [[https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/09444723/filing-history|Companies House]]. Here are some excerpts:

==== 2025 ====

=== PART 1 - GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE COMPANY'S ACTIVITIES AND IMPACT ===

//In the space provided below, please insert a general account of the company's activities in the financial year to which the report relates, including a description of how they have benefited the community.//

We have continued to run our regular sessions of 3 days a week as well as expanding to an additional, semi-regular Wednesday session which has been used to welcome people interested in exploring craft and textiles into the Hackspace. We have also set up and run several workshops for members on a breadth of different topics such as dice making, earring making and making discord bots.

As for 28th February 2025, we have 80 regularly subscribing members including 25 "keyholder" members who have 24/7 access, an increase of 25% over the past year.

The main investment for the space has been a major expansion into a new space in the same complex of Portland Works. This new workshop is roughly two and a half times the size of our current space and moves us to somewhere visible from the street, which should increase footfall. There will be a staggered transition between the spaces with us hoping to be fully moved in before the end of the year.

This change is space will allow us to accommodate more members, establish a broader reach, create room for more equipment and activities and create more specialised spaces such as a craft room to attract new communities and members.

=== PART 2 - CONSULTATION WITH STAKEHOLDERS ===

//A "stakeholder" is any person or organisation affected by the company's activities. Please indicate who the company's stakeholders are; how the stakeholders have been consulted and what action has the company taken in response to feedback from its consultations. _If there has been no consultation you must state 'There has been no stakeholder consultation held'.//

Our main stakeholders are our fee-paying membership and the wider maker community across the city and surrounding areas.

To help serve this community a Discord server has continued operation. The number of users has grown to 244 members (165 last year), it is utilised to announce opening times for both regular and Ad hoc events.

We have discussion groups for 19 specialist subjects as requested by the community, as well as a number of other general channels. Our stakeholders were invited to participate in the improvements to the space (continuing inductions on our large format laser cutter and more advanced training such as maintenance, improvements to the electrical, pneumatic and dust filtration systems in the woodshop as examples).

Members participation included feedback on the desired functionality and participation on installation of the projects/equipment. The membership has been regularly consulted and involved in the decision making around the new space, a working group has been established of members to handle the various tasks. We continually look out for opportunities to seek feedback from our membership and to provide facilities that benefit the community. Members are currently engaged with the work necessary to prepare the proposed new premised for occupation.

==== 2024 ====

=== PART 1 - GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE COMPANY'S ACTIVITIES AND IMPACT ===

//In the space provided below, please insert a general account of the company's activities in the financial year to which the report relates, including a description of how they have benefited the community.//

We are continuing to run three sessions a week and during the last 12 months our membership levels, and income, have increased above pre-covid levels.

As of 29 February 2024, we have 64 regularly subscribing members including 21 "keyholder" members who have 24/7 access.

The main investments into the space this year have been continuing improvements to our woodworking shop, including building storage for parts and tools into the previously constructed workbench and expanding out the dust extraction system.

Upskilling of the membership has continued, with particular emphasis on our laser cutter which continues to be our most popular tool with many new members going through our in house induction on the machine.

As a direct result of all of this we are seeing an increased use of all available facilities, and people are joining the hackspace who otherwise wouldn't have done so.

=== PART 2 - CONSULTATION WITH STAKEHOLDERS ===

//A "stakeholder" is any person or organisation affected by the company's activities. Please indicate who the company's stakeholders are; how the stakeholders have been consulted and what action has the company taken in response to feedback from its consultations. _If there has been no consultation you must state 'There has been no stakeholder consultation held'.//

Our main stakeholders are our fee paying membership and the wider maker community across the city and surrounding areas.

To help serve this community a Discord server has continued operation. The number of users has grown to 165 members (105 last year), it is utilised to announce opening times for both regular and Adhoc events. We have discussion groups for 19 specialist subjects as requested by the community, as well as a number of other general channels.

Our stakeholders were invited to participate in the improvements to the space (continuing inductions on our large format laser cutter and more advanced training such as maintenance, improvements to the electrical, pneumatic and dust filtration systems in the woodshop as examples). Members participation included feedback on desired functionality and participation on installation of the projects/equipment.

We continually look out for opportunities to seek feedback from our membership and to provide facilities that benefit the community.