Join us at our next session on Sunday 13th April!
To make your visit as seamless as possible, don’t forget to bring along any instruction manuals, charging cables, spare batteries etc that go with your item.
Opening of Earley Repair Cafe
The Earley Repair Café opened its doors to the public for the first time on Sunday 13th October. The first session saw 47 items come through the door including 16 electrical items, 10 pieces of clothing, 4 bikes, 3 soft toys, 2 weighing scales and one shoe!
Our team of volunteers working to repair as many items as possible and offering advice to customers on the items which were a little harder to fix or required replacement parts
Some of our wonderful volunteers just before tucking into a celebratory cake to mark the official opening of the Earley Repair Café!
FAQs
What is a Repair Café?
Repair Cafés are community spaces, focused on repairing items together. Repair Cafés try to repair any household item that may otherwise be destined for the bin, with the aim of reducing landfill whilst also passing on valuable practical and repair skills.
How do Repair Cafés work?
A friendly team of volunteers will try to repair any household item brought in, this may include: small domestic appliances, bikes, clothes, lamps, tools, laptops, clocks, chairs, suitcases and bags, toys, ornaments, small items of furniture etc etc.
Whilst the repair is taking place, visitors are able to get a refreshment from the onsite café, or better still, visitors are encouraged to watch and learn about the repair process.
When and where is the Earley Repair Café?
Earley Repair Café takes place on the second Sunday of the month between 10am and 1pm at Centrepoint Community Centre (next to Lower Earley Library on Chalfont Close)
How much do repairs cost?
There is no charge for repair services, however donations are welcomed. Donations go towards the running of the Repair Café i.e. advertising, tools, training etc, as well as investing in specialist equipment in order to expand the repair services we are able to provide.
Do I need to pre-book?
No booking is required, please just drop in.
Items will be registered at the front desk and allocated to the next available repairer with the relevant skill set for the item. During busy periods, customers will be limited to a maximum of three items per person.
To allow time for a repair to take place, items will not be accepted past 12.30pm.
Can I drop off my item and leave?
No! The whole ethos of the Repair Café is to learn about the repair process, pass on valuable knowledge and skills and create a community space. Repairers will also wish to talk through the repair with the customer to agree the best approach. If you are unable to stay, then our volunteers will not work on your item.
What if I don’t have anything that needs repairing, can I still attend?
Absolutely! Earley Repair Café is designed to be a community space so you are welcome to pop in for a hot drink and a chat.
Who is running the Earley Repair Café?
The initiative is currently being led by a team of from the Town Council. However, our plan is for the Earley Repair Café to become a community asset.
In the longer term, it is hoped that as the Earley Repair Café becomes more established, a team of enthusiastic and driven volunteers will be selected to take on more of the management and decision-making responsibilities. The Town Council intends to continue to support the Earley Repair Café in a sponsorship role.
Can I volunteer?
After an incredible first six months, we are now in a position to take on a handful of extra volunteers. The opportunities are as follows:
Reception & Registration – greeting customers, registering items, taking donations
Cafe – serving refreshments to volunteers and customers, taking donations
Repairers – we are particularly looking for repairers who are skilled in clothing/textiles, electrical items and clocks/watches
If you would like to apply for any of the roles above, please complete a Repair Café Volunteer Application Form and return it to [email protected]
We would encourage anyone interested in volunteering to visit one of our sessions to meet the team and see the Repair Café in action.
