In the closing days of 2025, we posted on social media about the impact Makespace Oxfordshire had over the prior 12 months. Here’s a round-up of these posts. 1. 250+ organisations supported into space 🤝 First up, we hit a big milestone this year. We reached 250 organisations that we’ve supported into space. In fact, at the […]
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Who’s funding system change in Oxfordshire?
The urgent call for deep, long term investment in neighbourhood transformation In one of the wealthiest counties in England, too many people are still being left behind. Scratch beneath the surface of Oxfordshire’s prosperity and a different story soon emerges. So, what can we do to tackle the eye-watering inequality in Oxfordshire, and who is resourcing the […]
A Look Back at Our International Women’s Day Event Series
Throughout March, Makespace celebrated International Women’s Day with a series of events. Women’s History Month gave us the perfect opportunity to focus on the women of our community. From poetry to performance, dinner tables to discussion circles, it was a packed month that showed what can happen when women face fewer barriers to accessing space. Here’s a […]
(Re)Founding: Our Vision for the Future
What if Oxfordshire was a healthy, thriving, just space for all for generations to come? That question drives us at Makespace. We’ve spent the last 18 months developing a long-term vision: to support communities across Oxfordshire to unlock space, build power, and shape a more just land and property system. Since 2018, we’ve reanimated 30 vacant buildings […]
12 Days of Impact: A Look Back at 2024
As 2024 draws to a close, we’re looking back on some unforgettable moments and milestones made possible by the power of our community. The 12 Days of Impact is a celebration and appreciation of the achievements that have shaped the past 12 months. A huge thank-you to our partners, residents and wider community who made this year […]
18 months in South Abingdon
Building capacity and community connections together through creativity. In March 2023, we officially launched the South Abingdon arts and culture project. It was developed in partnership with the local council, and the aim was to build the capacity of local artists and expand creative opportunities in South Abingdon. This ongoing regenerative arts project celebrates and supports local […]
We did it! Now it’s time to take George Street to the next level…
The news this week is all about George Street. On 15 October, at a planning committee meeting, Oxford City Council approved the plans for redeveloping 38-40 George Street. This is a major milestone for us at Makespace. George Street offers us our first opportunity to unlock a long-term purpose built civic space after years (and continuing work) […]
Resident spotlight: Katie Herring, Tribe Zero-Waste
Katie Herring, founder of Tribe Zero-Waste, opened the doors of her first brick-and-mortar shop in Faringdon two years ago. Since then she has gone from being the single operator of her business to having four part time staff. As she prepares to graduate from the Makespace community and move into a larger space nearby, we caught up […]
Open Doors 365: Our response to Oxford Open Doors
[You can also read this blog on Medium] Open Doors Weekend is a major event in everyone’s calendar. People get to pop in and explore some of the wondrous buildings we have on our doorstep. So, we wanted to take the opportunity this year to ask the question; What if Oxford’s resources and spaces were open all […]
Project Update: Creating a Civic Space on George Street
Last year, you celebrated with us as we announced the news of our first ever long-term space, within the wider redevelopment of 38-40 George Street in Oxford’s city centre. Now, we’re here to update you on our once-in-a-generation opportunity to create a new civic space for communities living and working in the city. We’ve been actively engaging […]