A record day for the Repair Café

Why were a musical toilet roll holder and a doll that had lost its head to be found at the Hungerford Croft Hall on Saturday? Answer – it was the latest session of the hugely popular Hungerford Repair Café.

As well as the usual array of toasters that wouldn’t pop, garden tools that had gone blunt and clothes that needed stitching, the volunteers at the repair cafe also set about mending some more unusual treasures.

Despite it being a damp, grey morning, it was the busiest morning yet for the event that has been held every couple of months in the town since the summer of 2021.  More than a hundred visitors attended. The idea behind the project is not only to avoid items going to landfill and having to be replaced but also to show visitors how to fix things that they might have thought irreparable.

The aim is also to create an enjoyable community event, so there is a café with home-made cakes and plenty of opportunity to chat while waiting for the next repair station.  The event is supported by Hungerford Rotary and the Hungerford Environmental Action Team and a host of independent volunteers. The next event will be on the 20^th January from 10:00 am until 12:30 pm at the Croft Hall.

If you want to volunteer, or to know more about what we do, visit us at: https://www.repaircafe.org/en/cafe/hungerford-repair-cafe/ where you will find dates and contact details.

One of our volunteers adds “Inspired by the great work and success of Hungerford Repair Café, there will be a new Repair Café in Newbury and Thatcham in the New Year. It is hoped that monthly events will be held, alternating between Newbury and Thatcham.  If you are interested in this new venture, please visit https://tinyurl.com/NTRepairCafe.”