Fix it Yourself
Learn How - On This Page.
2900
Repair Cafes
Worldwide
321
Repair Cafes throughout
the United Kingdom
50,000
On average items
repaired every month
44,000
Volunteers
Fix it Yourself
For most of us in 2020 and 2021 we had no choice, now FIY has become a new acronym, not so much a statement, for many it is a different way of life. Lets face it the Pandemic has a profound effect on all of us.
Was this something good to come out of that terrible experience.
We are more resourceful today.
From changing a light bulb to working out how to make ends meet.
Don't be too surprised to learn that Gen Z 18 - 24 year old's are far more experienced in adapting social media, Facebook and YouTube to solve problems, minor to major.
In a sense they have to, they have relatively lower wealth, need to be more frugal and make real choices with their limited budget.
Fix the oven door seal, new filter in the cooker hood - no problem! YouTube seems to answer most things.
And it doesn't stop there!
Repair Cafés
Around the world, and especially so
in Europe there exists a Foundation,
Repair Café International.
Founded by Martine Postma in 2009 in Amsterdam it proved to be a huge success. Today there are over 2900 Repair Cafés world wide, with over 44100 volunteers involved who are helping to repair in excess of 52500 items every month.
Across the United Kingdom in Wales, England, Northern Ireland and Scotland there are some 321 Repair Cafés to date. Stretching from the Cairngorms, through Londonderry, Fishguard, Penzance, and all the way from Carlisle to Dover.
There should be one near you, and if not - then why not start one.
From the Foundation comes this advice:
"The Repair Café teaches people to see their possessions in a new light. And, once again, to appreciate their value. Repair Café volunteers also visit schools to give repair lessons. In both these ways, the Repair Café helps change people’s mindset. This is essential to kindle people’s enthusiasm for a sustainable society".
Our Baby Boomers and Gen X can bring so much skill and knowledge to each and every community.
Repair Cafés create a sustainable village, inside every community where the words, repair, reuse, replace recycle, renovate all help to stop basically useful items from being discarded.
Naturally Sustainable join with the Repair Café is stating, how at community level we can all have our input in creating and maintaining the circular economy.
Repair Cafés do not compete with professionals, we have been a throw away society for far too long.
According to a SKY NEWS report in November 2018 - Before the Pandemic
Fewer than one in 10 people in the UK attempt to repair or restore items if they are broken, according to new research.
Nearly 22 million small pieces of furniture, more than 11,000 bicycles and over 28 million toys are binned in the UK every year after they became damaged, reports a study by North London Waste Authority (NWLA). And it isn't just in London they point out, it is a nationwide problem.
This is despite 42% of those surveyed saying they would like to learn the skills to mend what they end up throwing away.
The UK has had to double its domestic waste capacity since 2010 from 6.3 million tonnes to 13.5 million tonnes.
Post pandemic, there a new ways of caring for our possessions. Repair Cafés will give us the confidence to invest in tools of our own, carry out repairs at home on a host of different items, and even perhaps become a volunteer in a Repair Café .
We have partnered with Tooled-Up to give you access to all types of tools and equipment. A family business, with more than 45 years in the tools and hardware business, its honest to goodness values are reflected on Trust Pilot with hundreds of satisfied comments
Let’s create together
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