Recently launched by Stratford-upon Avon Mayor Cllr Gill Cleeve, as part of National Great Big Green Week, it's a joint initiative with Net Zero CIC with the aim of repairing broken household items to save families money and reduce the number of items that go to landfill.

The Repair Café is free (donations welcomed) takes place on 1st Saturday of the month at Foundation House, Masons Road, from 10am – 2pm, with the last repair being accepted at 1pm. The project is already proving to be a success and has been popular with both volunteers and the general public.

The Repair Cafés held so far, have:

  • Kept an estimated 184.4 kg of waste from landfill.
  • Saved (prevented emission) of 1,715.7 kg CO2e (or 1.7 tonnes CO2e) of greenhouse gases. Which is equivalent to the emissions from driving 3,237 miles in an average UK car, or taking 1,072 showers.

Not only has it been good for the planet, it's also been great for our volunteers!

Volunteering at the Repair Cafe is great on many levels. Not only do we get to help people keep using things they already own which saves them time and money, but we also get to be "eco-friendly" by helping reduce landfill and consumption, pick up new skills from other repairers and also have good social meetup with like minded folk.  A great way to spend a Saturday!

Jon

The most meaningful definition of volunteering for me is doing more than you have to because you want to, in a cause you consider good. I really do think that the Cafe is a benefit to the community and ultimately the planet because it enables repairing/recycling of possessions to save them from ending up in landfill. A definite conserving of resources. The Cafe is professionally run and makes for a very worthwhile and enjoyable day for me as a volunteer.

Mary

It was really satisfying to see someone riding in town on their newly repaired bike - it had been in a shed for the last few years and it didn't take much to get it back on the road in a safe condition. And the owner learned some basic maintenance skills too.

Philip Chrisp, Bike Repair volunteer

Our volunteers’ skills range from electricals, sewing and garments, bikes, tools sharpening, and all-round general repair knowledge. The volunteers truly make the Repair Café experience special. As organisers, we love to see new friendships develop, and to hear the stories of the repairs our volunteers worked on and how it impacts the community.

Our Volunteer Coordinator, Charlotte Summerskill

 

Find out more about the café, including which repair skills are available at each session.

Anyone interested in volunteering at the café, specifically anyone with experience in electrics, PAT testing, ceramics, and jewellery can email: volunteer@stratfordtowntrust.co.uk for more information.