REMO is delighted to have been awarded £400,000 over five years from The National Lottery Community Fund to deliver an ambitious Makerspace Expansion Project at the REMO Eco Hub in March.

This significant investment from National Lottery players will enable REMO to strengthen and grow its community workshop, creating new opportunities for local people to learn practical skills, repair and reuse everyday items, through creative and sustainable activities.

A Makerspace operates a membership like a gym only instead of working out members share a community workshop where people of all ages and backgrounds can access tools, equipment and technical support to design, make, repair and innovate. The REMO Makerspace is able to offer access to equipment such as woodworking tools, digital fabrication machinery, sewing equipment, and other specialist tools that would otherwise be costly or inaccessible to individuals.

REMO’s Makerspace will be a welcoming, inclusive environment where members can develop new skills, work on personal or business projects, and collaborate with others. It is designed to reduce barriers to participation in practical making, creativity and enterprise.

What the Funding Will Deliver

The £400,000 award will allow REMO to:

• Recruit three technically skilled members of staff to support Makerspace members safely and effectively
• Expand access to specialist equipment and technical expertise to members from 8am until late 7 days a week.
• Deliver regular Repair Cafés, helping residents fix broken household items rather than sending them to landfill
• Run open days, upcycling workshops, teaching creative reuse and sustainable design
• Increase opportunities for volunteering, skills development and community participation

The new staff team will ensure that members receive professional guidance when using equipment, improving both safety and confidence while fostering a culture of creativity and collaboration.

Community and Environmental Impact

The Makerspace Expansion Project is designed to deliver long-term social and environmental benefits across Fenland.

Key benefits include:

• Skills development: equipping residents with practical, technical and creative skills
• Environmental impact: reducing waste through repair, reuse and upcycling
• Co-creating community: connecting people through shared learning and making
• Enterprise support: affordable access to tools for start-ups, makers, community groups, social enterprises and micro-businesses
•  Wellbeing: purposeful activities supporting mental health and confidence

By making tools and technical knowledge accessible, REMO is helping to build a more resilient, skilled and sustainable local community.

A Vote of Confidence from National Lottery Players

This funding represents a major vote of confidence in REMO’s vision to combine environmental responsibility with social impact. Thanks to National Lottery players, the Makerspace Expansion Project will create lasting opportunities for local people.

One of REMO’s Founders Nikki DiGiovanni who was recently named one of the UK’s Top100 most inspirational female entrepreneurs said:

“This funding from The National Lottery Community Fund is going to transformational for our organisation and for the community we serve. It allows us to expand our Makerspace, employ skilled staff, and ensure that more people can access tools, training and creative opportunities. We believe everyone should have the chance to make, repair, learn, earn and create. The National Lottery’s investment helps us turn that mission into reality.”

Get Involved

REMO is currently recruiting for the three new technically skilled roles and expanding its programme of Repair Cafés and upcycling workshops.

To find out more about membership, volunteering or upcoming events, visit:
www.remo.org.uk/news or www.facebook.com/remotrading @remo_trading

---

Media Contact: Nikki DiGiovanni – Development Director   REMO Social Enterprise
01354 607667 / 07905951735 Email: [email protected]

About REMO
REMO is an award winning social and environmental enterprise based in March, Cambridgeshire, committed to sustainability, inclusion and community-led innovation. Through practical projects and shared spaces, REMO has spent over 20 years empowering people to reduce waste, build skills and create positive social change.