<p>3.1 The Maker’s Guild News Update – March 2017</p><p>Due to outstanding support from Portsmouth Cultural Trust we have been clearing the U2 Floor space in the Guildhall successfully, new electrical wiring has been put in place and a contract for 12 months has been offered.</p><p>Our next stage is now decorating part of the space, cleaning, building work benches, arranging tools, equipment and volunteer help together with administrative organisation and related tasks. </p><p>We have submitted three funding applications to Arise Portsmouth, Awards for All and The Partnership Foundation which if successful would fund tool purchase and the future delivery of a course of community workshops. We are also in development with HLF for an application based around historical makers within Portsmouth. </p><p>Our support network has also included help and advice from Inspiring Portsmouth, Action Portsmouth, the studio network, Portsmouth University and The Aldingbourne Trust. We are also developing a wide range of interest and support from a variety of interested groups which we are following up. We have also currently had 61 enquiries from local makers and artists concerning the future use of the space and how they can help.</p><p>We have been nominated for two awards by Portsmouth University one being for the University Alliance awards, held in Media City UK, Manchester were 15 Universities in the national Alliance can only nominate 1 start-up and secondly we have been nominated in the category of 'Student & Graduate Entrepreneurial Spirit' in the Portsmouth University Enterprise Showcase being held on the 16th March.</p><p>To gain a full view of our progress so far please log in to our website through the instagram and twitter accounts. Through which we have been connecting locally and worldwide successfully building a strong following and interest in our ethos and hopes for the future. </p><p>We aim to be open and functional in Spring 2017. Please visit any time for a tour and chat. </p><p>Gavin Hodson 07974192648 Sam Asiri 07739 408348 Ming Wu 07929 569 108</p><p>The Maker’s Guild - www.makers-guild email – [email protected] </p>