What do you do with a CD player that doesn’t open, a chair with a wobbly leg or a jumper with moth holes? Fix them at York Repair Café…
Community group Planet South Bank is organising the city’s first Repair Café this Sunday.
Seventeen volunteer experts will be available to help make all possible repairs, free of charge.
The repair crew includes skilled volunteers experienced in dealing with small electrical appliances, furniture, electronics and computers, textiles and clothing, jewellery and accessories and bikes.
Anything that is broken is welcome and, while there are no guarantees that everything can be fixed, the team will certainly try their best.
Volunteer fixers
Repairers have all volunteered their services and include tradesmen and small businesses, as well as makers and crafts people, voluntary organisations and hobbyists.
Bishopthorpe Road hardware shop Pextons is supporting the event, along with handyman Dave Wilson, the man who puts up the festive lights in Bishy Road.
By promoting repairs, Planet South Bank wants to help reduce mountains of waste and encourage residents to embrace One Planet York’s ‘zero waste’ ambitions.
Homemade cakes
The Repair Café is the first of a summer programme of events around waste to be run by Planet South Bank, which received funding from York Community Recycling Fund from City of York Council.
“We throw away piles of stuff in the UK,” said organiser Kate Lock. “Even things which have almost nothing wrong with them, and which could easily be used again after a simple repair.
“Unfortunately, many people have forgotten that they can have things repaired. Repair Café wants to change all that.”
Homemade cakes and hot drinks will be available to purchase at the Repair Café.
Planet South Bank would like to thank Angel on the Green for their donation of a fabulous chocolate cake and last year’s Bishy Road Bakeoff winner Liz Court for providing a bountiful selection of mouthwatering bakes.
The event is free but a suggested donation is encouraged. There is no charge for the repairs but materials may be charged for.