Fixed it at the East Leeds Repair Cafe

Some of our volunteers at work at the first East Leeds Repair Cafe while being recorded for Chapel FM.

Have you got a drill with a stuck chuck, or a toaster that no longer pops up? Some people would simply go out and buy a new one, but for visitors of the first East Leeds Repair Café there’s another, more environmentally friendly and cost-effective option.

The East Leeds Repair Café is based at Crossgates Methodist Church on Austhorpe road and takes place on the third Saturday of each month. The idea of the repair café global movement is that rather than simply throwing things away, we should be repairing and reusing everyday objects. At the new East Leeds repair café, our team of volunteer fixers will work with you to fix your broken items, to make adjustments to clothes, or sew on a button. The repair café also offers the chance to learn some new skills while attempting to repair items that would otherwise end up in the rubbish.

Sadly, not everything is repairable, often because there are large numbers of products that are designed to be difficult or even impossible to be fixed. Some manufacturers would prefer that you simply replace broken or damaged items. Some items are technically fixable but the cost in time and parts is prohibitive for a traditional repair shop business. However, with a little ingenuity and creativity, it is sometimes possible to repair these items. When carrying out repair’s safety is paramount, and our fixers have the final say on whether they feel they can safely attempt a repair. But, if it is otherwise going straight to the tip, then bringing it to the repair café will only cost a couple of hours of time. You may save some money while helping to save the planet and learning some new skills.

Last weekend over 40 people came through the doors either bringing items for repair or simply to have a hot drink and slice of cake, to see what is going on. Over the course of 4 hours we repaired about 15 items, ranging from mending clothing to fixing a leaf blower. All of our repairs, as well as the refreshments, are free of charge, although we do ask people to donate as they feel able to help us cover costs. If the repair requires a specific part, we will help you find out where to get it, so you can still get your repair done at the next session

The repair café provides an opportunity for the church to share Gods love for all of creation with the people of east Leeds, creating a safe space for people to come together and care for the local community, as well as for Gods world.

The next repair café session will be on Saturday 15th October between 11am and 3pm. If you would like to find out more, you can find us on Facebook by searching East Leeds Repair Café or on our webpage. Or you can keep an ear open for Chapel FM, who came to our last session and recorded some repairs as well as conversations with our visitors and volunteers,

If you would like to get in touch you can find our contact details on Facebook or on the contact page on the website.