The fuse is about to be lit in Porthmadog with Ffiws, a Makerspace which is launching on the 10th of October 2019.
A makerspace is a collaborative workspace for making, learning, exploring and sharing that uses high tech to no tech tools. There will be many interesting machines available at Porthmadog such as a 3D printer, laser cutter and a CNC machine.
Ffiws will be located at 125 High Street Porthmadog and will be open to anyone to use for free. Funded by Arloesi Gwynedd Wledig (AGW) and ARFOR, Gwynedd Council the purpose of the project is to open temporary workspaces in disused buildings in communities across Gwynedd to provide opportunities for local businesses and the wider community to learn about new equipment and technology and experiment with them.
AGW are seeking innovative solutions to challenges facing the Gwynedd economy. They are doing this by piloting new approaches, some of which will succeed and then be replicated, while others may fall short of initial objectives, but the valuable insights from these will be used to inform future projects. The ARFOR Programme looks to develop the economy, create high value jobs and promote the Welsh language in areas in Gwynedd, Anglesey, Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire, by experimenting with new and innovative ideas. The ARFOR Programme is funded by the Welsh Government.
Rhys Gwilym, Senior Officer at AGW explains:
“Ffiws can be useful to anyone! If you’ve got a problem you can’t find a solution for, why don’t you create the solution yourself! Makerspaces allow you to create exactly what you need. Maybe there’s a plumber out there who needs a specific sized washer, but it isn’t available to buy. He could make one himself in a Makerspace to the exact measurements he needs!”
Join us on the 10th of October at 6.30pm at Y Ganolfan Porthmadog for the launch of Ffiws and to learn more about Makerspaces and how it could be of use to you.
The event, led by Hackspace magazine contributor and local maker Jo Hinchliffe, will dive into a lively exploration of ideas of things we can make and give an overview of the equipment available in the space.
We will also be hearing from Jen Fenner who has built a successful design and prototyping business in a makerspace in Liverpool that is now successfully operating out of Sensor City.
For more information contact Rhys on 01766 514 057 or rhys@mentermon.com and to register for the event go to Eventbrite.
This project has received funding through the Welsh Government Rural Communities - Rural Development Programme 2014-2020, which is funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the Welsh Government. It’s also part funded by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) and Gwynedd Council.