FAQs

Depending on the number and skillset of the volunteer repairers available on the day, will determine what types of repairs we are able to take on. Each repair café can be slightly different depending on which repairers are available. We will notify you by email of what repairs are possible before each café. You can also see what repairs are possible at each café on Facebook or Instagram. If you would like to receive these emails sign up to our mailing list. Alternatively, below is a list of the sort of repairs we are usually able to take on.

• jewellery and accessories

• clothes - darning, hemming, buttons, zips

• documents and books - re-binding, repairing frayed edges.

• wooden objects & furniture - wobbly chairs, ornaments, toys

• pedal bikes & scooters

• electrical items - vacuum cleaners, bedside lamps, toasters

• computers, phones & printers

• tool sharpening

• crockery & ornaments 

• things that are too large for one person to carry

• very precious things

• items that are still in warranty

• we cannot do 'hot work' - anything that requires welding, brazing etc

Keep an eye on our website for our upcoming repair café dates and venues. There is no booking required, so just bring your broken item along on the day of the repair cafe and our volunteer repairers will do their best to fix it for you.

On arrival, you will be welcomed by our front of house team. You will be given a number and your item will be checked over by a volunteer repairer. Whilst you await the fate of your item, you will be able to enjoy the refreshments available. 

If a repair was a success, you will be asked to donate whatever you can afford and fill out a survey before leaving. We will let you know if the item is not repairable and requested to take it away with you to recycle or dispose of accordingly.

Yes. We ask that if a zip needs to be replaced, please source a replacement and bring it along with you to the café. We do not keep zips at the repair café as they come in a range of different sizes and colours. Please also be aware that zip replacements can take up to a couple of hours, so please arrive early to check if we have capacity to take on the job.

Repair cafés take place once a month on a Saturday morning. We list upcoming repair café dates on the homepage of our website. Alternatively, we will always send out emails to notify of when the next repair café will be held. Sign up to our mailing list to get email updates straight into your inbox.

In 2023, we are trailing some new locations. Please check where the next repair café will be held on the homepage of the website.

No. Only items that are small, and light enough to carry can be fixed at the repair cafes.

If an item is still in warranty, we ask that you contact the supplier in the first instance. If we attempt a fix that is still under warranty, this may make your warranty null and void.

Sometimes a repair is not always possible. Our volunteer repairers will always do their best to come up with a solution to save your item from the bin! If the item is not repairable, we ask you to take it away with you to recycle or dispose of accordingly.

The repair café runs on a donation basis, you will be asked to donate once your item has been successfully repaired. You are free to pay what you think the repair was worth and in line with what you are able to afford. We are always grateful for any donations, they are crucial for us to be able to keep providing this service for the community.

When electrical items are repaired, they will receive a Portable Appliance Test to check their electrical safety. If an item fails this test, and our repairers are unable to resolve the issue, we will notify you and ask that you take the item home with you to dispose of or recycle.

Sometimes repairs are only possible with a replacement part. Our volunteer repairers will let you know if a new part is required. You will be asked to source this and bring the item back to a future café to be repaired. Often replacement parts can be found online on sites such as eBay or direct from the manufacturer.

Sign up to our mailing list to receive emails notifying you of when and where the upcoming cafés will be held.

We are always looking for new repair café volunteers. You don’t need to have a particular repair skill to join the team. We welcome anyone who would like to help with front of house, refreshments, organisation, marketing and of course repairs too! Complete the volunteer form to register your interest.

We accept donations by cash or card at the repair cafés. You can also donate online via PayPal, if you would just like to support the cause. Volunteers provide their time freely, but we have some major costs such as employers liability and 3rd party insurance, venue hire costs, and catering costs. It costs us around £2000 per year to keep the operation going.

We are a virtual organisation with no fixed premises, so we can’t accept donations of ‘stuff’ as we have nowhere to store it.