Hack haven comes to Oldham!

Council leader Jim McMahon

A HAVEN for Oldham’s geek community will officially open for business this weekend.

Hack Oldham, which will take over an old joiner’s workshop in Hardcastle Street as a hackspace, features training facilities, a meeting space, 3D printing facilities, an electronics laboratory and wood shop.

A hackspace is a community-operated workspace where people with common interests — often in computers technology, science and electronic art — can meet, socialise and collaborate.

The group aims to use the new base as an area where people can work together to bring their ideas to fruition, to help start businesses and create new products.

The space is operated on a non-profit basis and is entirely funded by members and public donations.

The council’s town team has worked with the group for the last six months and found them the space from a private landlord.

Council leader Jim McMahon, above, said: “I’m pleased to welcome Hack Oldham to the Independent Quarter and that we were able to help them with the move.

“Their new base will allow not only the group members to meet and share ideas but also as it grows in size more creative and technical savvy people will be coming into the town centre — exactly what we need if the borough is to progress.

“We’ve already worked with Hack Oldham on a number of projects, such as Museums at Night in Gallery Oldham and hopefully this partnership will continue in the future.”

Founder Andy Powell added: “I’ve visited several hackspaces around the world and have always been fascinated by the sense of community and positivity — I’d like to see that in Oldham.

“My vision is that people from different backgrounds will come together and do interesting things, and that the space will eventually become self-sustaining.

“These days it doesn’t take much to start a business, often people do not need money, they need knowledge and resources and that’s what we want to share.

“Many of the world’s largest companies started in bedrooms and hackspaces and it’s time to put Oldham back on the map.”

Hack Oldham will host an open day on Saturday from noon-6pm.

Forthcoming events at Hack Oldham include Crafty Hacks, on June 16 from 6-9pm, Table Top Games, on June 24 from 7-11pm and an amateur photography group starting on July 1.

Visit http://hackold ham.com/ to find out more.