2023-05-23 Trustee Election

The election will start on the 23rd May this year and it will run for 7 days. All members, no matter how remote, will be able to vote.

The election will take place electronically using OpaVote.

Our returning officer for this election is Gareth Howell, who will set up and handle the OpaVote system for the election.

You will receive an individual voting email to your HMS registered email address.

There are three open positions.

Election Hustings and Voting

Once the nomination window closes, your details will be put on the Wiki before the voting period begins. The election voting will start on 23rd of May and run for 7 days - keep an eye on your emails, the Google Group and future newsletters for more details.

We'd like nominees to attend a hybrid in person/online event to let members ask them questions about their application. We will consult with nominees on when the best date for this should be. This will take place between the 9th and the 23rd of May before voting begins, possibly replacing a Wednesday Open Night.

Nominees

There are seven nominees for three open positions.

Photo	Nominee
Aaron Jackson	Hi, I’m Aaron and I’d like to run for one of the trustee positions. Nottingham Hackspace has rapidly become an important part of my life – a reason to leave the house, an opportunity to meet interesting people and the space work on the projects I tried to forget about. One of my favourite things has been becoming comfortable enough to ask “What are you working on?” and always coming away having learnt something new. Most of my time at the hackspace is spent in the electronics area, but have ventured out, learning about metalwork, woodwork, laser cutting and embroidery. I’m not great at any of them, but I’ve had fun trying! I’ve done my best to give time when I can, particularly with new members who are eager to try electronics but never held a soldering iron. While a member of the hackspace, I’ve also become active within the membership team - responding to emails and giving tours potential members of our space. It’s been a pleasure to welcome so many new people during this time and I can’t wait to see how far we’ve come in another year’s time. If elected as a trustee, I would apply for grants to improve our tooling and safety, help drive forward the completion of our new metalworking area, and do my best to contribute to all the behind the scenes work which comes with being a trustee of the hackspace.
Betty Ching	Hello team, Please take this email as my application for the nomination of this round of trustee elections. When I joined NH, I was looking for a place with tools which could bring my career to the next stage. After many years as member and 2 years as trustee, NH become more than a place with tools… I have met many fascinating people, collaborated with wonderful creative craftsmen and worked with a team of creative minded members. Thank you. Happy Making ;) Craft Maker - Betty Ching Handmade Jewellery, Fabric & Mixed Media Tutor
Chris Reddish	Hi All, I'd like to put myself forward for the upcoming trustee election. I have been a member of the space for just under a year, and have developed a keen interest in all things laser and 3d print, I try to give back to the space where I can and have recently taken on the Role of 3d print Team Lead alongside giving Membership tours and helping out with the laser team where I can. Maintaining the philosophy of the Space and ensuring it's survival long term is something I feel is of great importance and the main driver for myself in regard to motivations to become a Trustee. With Kind Regards Chris Reddish
Isatou Sheriff	Hi all, My name is Isatou Sheriff and I would like to apply to be trustee. I enjoy creative endeavour such as crafting and like to learn. I was so excited to find out about the hackspace. I would like to help by facilitating more events/workshops to get current members more involved and the general public more aware of what Nottingham hackspace has to offer. I want to be hackspace trustee as I find the hackspace to be a great place for people to learn but likewise collaborate with each other and further build a the community. Kind regards Isatou Sheriff
Joshua Kelly	My intention in running for a second term as trustee would be to focus on the ongoing (but unseen and often frustrating) business of delivering Hackspace 2.5. I have both direct experience of the role and a range of workplace management and project management experience to draw on, which I believe has proved valuable over the past two years and would aim to continue making that contribution to the HS community.
Marianna Joy Coulentianos (She/Her)	I wish to, in submitting my application, prevent the potential closing of the hackspace. As a newer member, I've loved coming in, even just to have a cup of tea and work on my computer. And as a trustee, I'd work to help foster that welcoming atmosphere, notably through finding ways for people in the hackspace to get to know one another more. My job and main interests are in the field of low-tech, which are techniques, technologies, services and know-how that stick to three main principles: Useful. Accessible. Sustainable. I'm especially interested in energy & low-tech (DIY wind turbines, biodigesters, etc). I'm eager to get to know every inch and every tool of the hackspace, what better way than by being a trustee? My day job is that of a lecturer at the Loughborough Design School where I teach on topics of Responsible Design and Prototyping. I've been a part of a few hackspaces and community spaces in the U.S. and would love to share ideas about how other spaces are run.
Theo van der Heiden	Dear Board of Trustees, I am writing to express my interest in joining your team as a [Skilled Member - Trustee]. With over 8 of experience as a STEM ambassador and a passion for mechanical engineering and IoT-related physical computing and electronics, I believe I would be an asset to your organization. One of my recent projects, the GPIO-Pi workshop, has been well-received and filled a gap in the market. As a result, I have gained valuable experience in working with people of all intersts. In addition, I have run my own STEM ambassador program since 2015, which has provided inspiration in 270 family groups, with more than 2205 hours of community-focused activities. I am excited about the opportunity to bring my skills, experience, and passion to your organization and to work with a team that shares my values and mission. I believe that my expertise in Mechanicaal engineering and coddng will make a positive contribution to your team. Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to hearing from you soon. Sincerely, Theo van der Heiden

Election Timeline

Item	Time/Date	Notes
Nomination Announcement	12th April
Nomination Window Starts	00:01 18th April	This window helpfully covers the May members meeting for more publicity
Nomination Window Ends	23:59 8th May (21 days) (ends 9th May)
Publish Nominations	9th May daytime	1 day to publish nominations usually on the wiki
14 day gap window	00:01 10th May - 23:59 22nd May (12 days)	Use this for hustings or other meeting nominees
Election Begins	00:01 23rd May
Election Ends	23:59 29th May (7 days)
Election Results Announced	30th May

Nominating Yourself for Election (Now Closed)

In order to run the election, there must be four nominees.

If you wish to apply, please email your application to trustees@nottinghack.org.uk. You must include your full name, a photo of yourself and a paragraph on what you feel you can bring to the role of trustee. The trustee job description can be found here.

You may also wish to include your experience and interests, what you’ve already done for the Hackspace community, and why members might want to choose you for this important, people-focused role.

We'd like to see as many members as possible applying to be Trustees, and applications from women and minorities are especially encouraged.

Nominations for this election have now closed, many thanks to all those who applied!