‘There’s a real joy in fixing something’: the rise of the repair cafe

Communities across the UK have seen the rise of repair cafes in recent years, as people strive to make-do-and-mend in the face of rising living costs and a push towards sustainability.

Repair shops in community centres, churches, cafes, pubs and libraries have become places for people to come and fix furniture, gadgets, clothing and more – often free of charge.

The Guardian spoke to five people on what repair cafes mean to them.

‘It’s one of the best things I’ve done’

A repair cafe seems small in the grand scheme of the world, but it’s an important and positive thing we’ve created – one of the best things I’ve ever done.

There is a real joy in being able to fix something for someone, and then showing them how. It’s much better than them dropping it off and collecting it later. We avoid that at the Nunhead repair cafe, which has been open since 2021. It can be very moving when there is a story around the object or the belonging. I do a lot of clothing and toy repairs. It’s really wonderful when little kids get to experience going through the repair with you. We find that even people who haven’t managed to get something fixed are generous and donate, or just say what a great time they’ve had.

One motivation to start the repair cafe was to combat my feelings of isolation post-lockdown. Every month, the volunteers go to the pub together. There’s a strong bond between us. It’s a powerful feeling, knowing the environmental impact we’ve made each month. Sophie Heathscott, 35, arts magazine manager, London

‘I hope it instils curiosity in my children’

I was delighted to discover last year that there was a repair cafe in my small village of Carmarthen in Wales, although it was set up in 2019. I run my own zero-waste shop, so I’m highly aware of the situation we’re facing about how much ends up in a landfill. The repair cafe is a great way to show my children a solution, instead of just telling them about a problem.

At Carmarthen repair cafe, there are about a dozen volunteers who are always busy working on their own projects. Some of the things we have taken to be repaired include an inherited wooden apple corer that needed sharpening and whose handle had fallen off; a Singer sewing machine in need of a service; and a broken ukulele strap.

I hope my two boys grow up with fond memories of visits to the repair cafe, and that it instils curiosity, determination and the confidence to fix things for themselves. Harriet Bagley, 29, small business owner in Carmarthen, Wales

Related: Can we fix it? The repair cafes waging war on throwaway culture

‘I’m still surprised at how busy it is’

I started the Aston Clinton repair cafe four years ago, after our son died of a brain tumour. Our wonderful community raised half a million pounds for his treatment and we wanted to pay them back in some way. It has helped me get through a dark time when I needed a distraction.

We hold repair sessions once a month in our local church, free of charge. Any donations we receive are split between the church and the Brain Tumour Research charity. Each member of our team works in a different zone focused on different repairs. I repair phones, tablets and radios quite a lot. We also get a lot of clocks, surprisingly. Then we have a sewing section, and a jewellery volunteer who rethreads broken beads and that kind of stuff. I’m still surprised at how busy it is. Occasionally, we’ve had nearly 100 items arrive in one morning.

A repair I’ll always remember was a woman who had dropped her phone down a toilet. The phone had recordings of deceased relatives, as well as photographs and films that weren’t backed up. It seemed to be beyond repair, but I managed to wake it up. She was thrilled to be able to hear the recordings again.

Setting this up has almost been like therapy, really. When you’ve been through what we’ve been through, the world seems a very dark place. It’s nice to try to bring a bit of light in. Peter Gardiner, electronics engineer in Aston Clinton, Buckinghamshire

‘People bring in all sorts of sentimental items’

Our local repair cafe in Gillingham, Dorset, has been growing over the past couple of years since it started in 2022. We open our doors once a month and have a solid number of regulars. I also help out with the social media, where I can see the reach of repair cafes globally, not just locally.

I’ve always had the skills for making things. Being able to solve a problem and prevent items from being thrown away is extremely rewarding.

People bring in all sorts of sentimental items. My favourite was an elderly lady’s beautiful handmade dress. The cuff had become frayed and she wanted to wear it. It turned out she had made the dress herself. It’s not the first time I’ve seen older people who have the skills to repair their own items, but have lost their dexterity. This lady found it hard to thread a needle now, so it was a real privilege to help her. I could never have made the dress myself. Cath Snow, 49, agricultural dealer in Gillingham, Dorset

‘People think that if something is broken, you throw it away’

I volunteer at my local repair cafe in Wrexham, where we hold sessions once a month with the help of the local community centre it’s been running since 2022.cWhat we are trying to achieve is to stop things from going into the landfill. I also teach people as I repair the items, with the hope that they’ll know how to mend similar damage in the future.

Many people have grown up thinking that if something is broken, you throw it away. They’re often surprised to learn their items can be repaired, and most of the time they are not big jobs at all.

One lady allowed me to repair a family pearl necklace. She was unsure if it was fixable; over the years, the threads had perished so she just kept it hidden away in a drawer. But she wanted to give it to her daughter, who was getting married. I just had to help fix this necklace.

She gave me permission to take the necklace home over the Christmas break. I kept regular contact with her until I returned it in January. It was such a lovely feeling to help this woman and she was over the moon. To think she entrusted me with such a sentimental item was amazing. Ali Anthony, 55, prosthetic technician in Wrexham