espressoMaths: a drop-by station

The aim of this short report is to discuss some issues associated with the establishment of, the running of, and the development of a Mathematics and Statistics support drop-by station in a large, distributed campus university environment. The discussion is rooted in our experiences of setting up and of developing espressoMaths at the University of the West of England, Bristol. The main thrust of this contribution is connected with practical rather than with theoretical aspects, although we do touch on some pedagogical issues associated with the interaction between drop-by stations and the dynamics of mainstream teaching and learning. A key intention is to contribute to the ongoing programme of sharing good practice in support structures. An important message is that Mathematics and Statistics support should be liberated from enclosed environments, and it should be open and available to all at the heart of university communities.