Dunblane Digital Makerspace CIC

The CIC has a range of digital equipment including a CNC Milling Machine, a Laser Cutter, and SLA (Resin) Printer and two FDM 3D printer. Activities and Achievements (Year ended 31 March 2025) During the year, the CIC delivered over 400 hours of training to new and existing members, covering machine operation and software skills. Membership grew from 35 to 49 members, a 40% increase reflecting growing demand for maker facilities in the Dunblane area. We expanded community engagement through public events including a stall at Dunblane Fling with practical demonstrations, and opened the makerspace for several special events where members of the public had the opportunity to operate machines and create personalised items with the largest of these during the Dunblane Extravaganza, hosting over 400 visitors from the local community. Equipment capabilities were extended with the introduction of textile and ceramic making facilities, broadening the range of skills and activities available to members and the community. We also invested in a major upgrade of the extraction and filtration systems for the CNC equipment improving the noise levels and ongoing maintenance costs. 2024 In January and February, CoderDojo coding classes for school students were started and will be held once a month. The classes were run by 4 volunteers and attracted up to 16 young people and their parents. In March, three groups of Nursery School children came into the Makerspace with their carers. They were shown what they machines could do and undertook age-appropriate tasks making toy hedgehogs. Dunblane High School: 3 or 4 Makerspace volunteers visit the High School every Monday afternoon to work with school students to help them develop designs to print on the Makerspace machines. Special Events: Volunteers have opened up the Makerspace on Valentines Day, Mothers’ Day and East Saturday to enable young people to come into the Makerspace and to learn how to make things on our machines for their loved ones. Commissions: Makerspace volunteers have undertaken commissions for a range of community organisations including the Xmas Extravaganza, medals for the Dunblane Road Race, signs for ECOFEST 2023 and the Four Ways Roundabout and coasters for to celebrate Dunblane High School’s 50th Anniversary. Membership: At 31 March 2024, Dunblane Digital Makerspace had 105 members of which 35 are volunteers. They also had a supporters’ e-mail list of over 100. We have consulted with local people at the large events listed in PART 1 above and with our volunteers/makers & members throughout the year. Our approach has been developed and amended constantly as a result of this consultation eg opening up to the wiser community and developing the range of machines available.