Volunteer-run repair cafes are helping people, nature and our climate by fixing over 21,000 items for free, saving money and reducing waste. It has reached an extraordinary milestone saving people over £1m in free repairs.
Repair Café Wales is encouraging people to repair rather than replace a broken item during ‘Fix-it February’ and beyond, by taking something to their local repair café to be fixed for free. Repair Cafe Wales are aiming to fix 1,000 items over the month, which would save as much carbon as taking a car off the road for 360,000 miles.
Anyone can bring a broken or damaged item to a repair café where volunteers can help fix it for free – ranging from electronics and clothing to furniture and household appliances. Repair cafés help people make the most of the items they already have to help tackle ‘throwaway culture’.
The Welsh Government’s Circular Economy Fund has invested in community organisations like Repair Café Wales, which has expanded its network to over 140 repair cafés across the country. Every month they help hundreds of people make their belongings last.
Huw Irranca-Davies, Deputy First Minister with responsibility for Climate Change, visited a repair café in Carmarthen. He brought a damaged cycling glove which was repaired by a volunteer during his visit.
He said: “The success of Repair Café Wales shows what our communities can achieve by working together. Powered by 1,000 dedicated volunteers each month, repair cafés are not just fixing items, they’re taking action to help the climate and saving people money. Small changes really add up to make a difference.
“This, combined with Wales becoming second in the world for municipal recycling, shows real progress towards ending throwaway culture and growing a greener economy.”
Phoebe Brown, Director of Repair Café Wales, said: “We are incredibly proud of this achievement, which is testament to the effort and skill of our brilliant volunteers. Having an item, such as a bike or laptop, fixed for free at one of our repair cafes can result in a significant financial saving for a local family, which is particularly beneficial in this current climate.”
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