#RepairCafe starts #TechAmnesty to support #community

by Alexandra Bassingham, June 24, 2025

"A community project, which encourages people to bring in items to be fixed for free, has opened an amnesty point for unused #technology to be handed in and repurposed for others.

"The Repair Café, started by Biddy Hammond from Somerset, has helped hundreds of people since being set up in October 2023.

"It has two donation drop-ins a month, one in #BurnhamOnSea and the other in nearby #Highbridge. Items can also be donated at the information bureau on Burnham seafront.

"They now have almost 20 #volunteers, fixing items including #SoftToys, #upholstery, #electricals, and #clocks, which in turn, reduces items sent to #landfill sites.

"Ms Hammond said they are looking for an offer of a storage facility space so they can support the community even more

"Ms Hammond said it was after hearing a woman at a charity shop saying she could not afford to fix her iron, that she came up with the idea of opening a repair café.

" 'I thought it's such a simple thing to do to help people out and it's pointless buying a new whatever every five minutes, because items work for such a short while nowadays.'

"Repair Cafe volunteers also visit homes with a thermal imaging camera, to help people increase insulation with 'simple fixes in their homes like thicker curtains,' Ms Hammond added.

"She said after lockdown the repair cafe has built the community in quite a strong way, offering a service and a social space.

"Hugh Champion, one of the repair team, said: 'We have a good time, hopefully delight a few customers, and send them home with things they had written off that are back to working condition again.

" 'And people are so delighted when you help them fix something especially when it has high sentimental value,' he added."

Source:
https://bbc.com/news/articles/cly8n90v504o

#SolarPunkSunday #RepairCafesUK #RepairReuseRecycle #RepairReuse #RightToRepair #Fixit #ReUse #UK #ReduceRepairReuseRecycle #Waste #eWaste #Volunteer

UK Mastodoniers - I am looking for a mains multi-gang. It has to be a tower form-factor, like in the attached image, and it must have a switch for each socket. These are my only criteria and they are essential - if the switches control pairs or rows they are useless to me.
USB sockets would be a bonus but are not important.

Any pointers very gratefully received: I have been unable to find anything, anywhere!

#uk #electricals #advice #recommendations

One week until #Stevenage #RepairCafe.

Come join us at 2pm until 5pm at the Bedwell Community Centre, Stevenage on the 6th April.

Bring anything you need #repairing, #pottery, #furniture, #clothing, #bikes or #electricals. We'll have a go at anything!

If you are handy and would like to help, all volunteers are also welcome.

If you're not handy but would like to learn, our volunteers will get you involved and teach or advise as we go.

#Repair not #waste. @repaircafe

Shoppers face £1bn ‘toaster tax’ under plans for new set of net zero rules
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/money/other/shoppers-face-1bn-toaster-tax-under-plans-for-new-set-of-net-zero-rules/ar-BB1iPqor?cvid=0ab083c53ac245b79dff83226e77211b&ocid=winp2fptaskbarhover&ei=7

#Electricals
#Shoppers
#Recycling

Recycling: Plans for electrical goods to be included in UK collections

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-67830798

#Recycling #Electricals