Repair Cafes 2023 - the latest
Our growing network of Repair Cafes are a hub for community engagement - encouraging people to come together, share skills and a cuppa, and repair what might otherwise get thrown away!
Got a pair of ripped jeans, a bike with a flat tyre, a teddy bear in need of a patch, a sewing machine that’s stopped sewing, or a clock that’s stopped ticking? Bring it along to one of our Repair Cafes and see if one of our superstar volunteers can help give it a new lease of life. We have even enlisted the help of a tech whizz to help with your IT woes!
Our Repair Cafes depend on a network of dedicated volunteers. To be accessible and inclusive for all, our Repair Cafes are held central locations across North Devon where people can reach us easily by foot or by public transport, plus there is no charge for repairs, but we welcome donations.
They are an intergenerational event that brings the community together to build resilience, keep the climate conversation going, help people to feel empowered to combat the climate crisis together and provide the opportunity to interlink different community groups with a common goal.
We also help promote other community Repair Cafes that have sprung up independently, such as those at Bideford and High Bickington and Atherington and are available to help get one set up and off the ground.
To support the cost of living crisis, we also partnered with 361 Energy to identify those in need and stitch thermal linings into curtains.
What have our Repair Cafes achieved?
Repair Cafes in numbers so far in 2023:
18 Repair Cafes have been held across North Devon in 2023 so far (a total of 37 since we started in 2021)
180 items have been repaired, covering clothing, textiles, electronics, bikes and carpentry (351 in total since 2021)
74 volunteers gave up their time to bring life back to damaged items and keeping them rom landfill
278 hours have been dedicated by our super star volunteers
5 locations; Braunton, Ilfracombe and Landkey and new to 2023; we have launched two new regular Repair Cafes in Barnstaple and South Molton
How did it all start?
We started our Repair Cafe journey back in 2021 when our Sea-EO, Claire, had a conversation with a local sewer and community champion Sue Gilbert, and the fire was ignited. So after navigating Covid restrictions, our very first self-funded Repair Cafe was born in our home town of Braunton, North Devon. Right from the very beginning, it was clear there was a demand for a repair service and it grew rapidly thanks to our incredible network of volunteers, invested stakeholders, community effort and funding from the National Lottery Together For Our Planet Fund.
The impact of Repair Cafes: Saving pennies and the planet
Repair Cafes are a great way to combat fast fashion and throwaway culture, and also provide an important community space to open up the conversation and help people to feel empowered to combat the climate crisis together
The environmental and climate crisis and the cost of living crisis are not separate issues. Repair Cafes are a simple but effective solution that addresses the times we’re living in a way that benefits people, and also the planet. We do not have finite resources, whether we’re talking on a household level or a planetary level, so finding ways to repair, reuse, or repurpose what we already have is vital for our communities and planet to be able to thrive.
We know that the fashion industry is responsible for 10% of annual global carbon emissions. It takes 7,000 litres of water to produce 1 pair of jeans, and 2,700 litres to make 1 t-shirt. The fashion industry is not moving fast enough to stimulate the change that is needed, so we need to work from the bottom up. Our repair cafes provide an opportunity to combat this damaging level of consumerism, and encourage a culture shift around this issue on a local level.
Where and when are our Repair Cafes?
We run a number of Repair Cafes each month across the following locations:
Braunton: Museum of British Surfing
Landkey: Willow’s Tearoom
Ilfracombe: The Earth Repair Shop and hand:plant cafe
Barnstaple: St John’s Community Centre (sometimes in different locations)
South Molton: YMCA
The offerings vary at each cafe and month to month, so please check our What’s On page or Facebook Events for more information on upcoming Repair Cafes around North Devon.
What does the future hold for Repair Cafes in North Devon?
The aim of our Repair Cafe network is to build on the cafes we already have to ensure their sustainability and also to ensure that we broaden our reach. We would also like to set up skills sharing workshops in the communities that our cafes are located in.
We would also like to run skills sharing workshops in each community which we hope will offer an opportunity to diversify and reach other communities including refugees, young families, deprived communities and those that can’t attend our Repair Cafes. Workshops will provide vital skills, giving people the power to repair their own items at home and offer repairs to their own communities and neighbourhoods.
Funding opportunity - Be part of the solution
We are looking for businesses and community organisations to help fund our individual cafes. It is a fantastic way to have a real impact in the community. Please get in touch to find out more.