Did you know Elmbridge has two versions of the Repair Shop? How lucky are we!
If you want to breathe new life into household items there are teams in Oxshott and Walton-on-Thames on hand with the skills to help for free.
Oxshott, Net Zero – Repair Café
Oxshott, Net Zero – Repair Café runs six times a year at Danes Hill School. They also run a skill share at each session which might include helping with simple tech issues such as how to use What’s App or Word or simple sewing skills. On other occasions a particular skill might be demonstrated.
Organisers also have a collection of used items for redistribution such as laptops and children’s clothing, which change from session to session.
Diana Thornton, co-founder, said visitors are also very welcome to stay for coffee and a pastry too: “Our repair café is an exciting collaboration. As well as running repairs and sharing skills, we hope that this initiative will provide a friendly space for the village and the school to get to know each other better.”
All dates and details for Oxshott Repair Café, Leatherhead Road, Oxshott, KT22 0JG are on its website but the next three dates are:
- 9 March
- 20 April
- 8 June
The café is open from 2pm to 4.30pm. (Last items for repair are accepted at 4pm.)
You are advised to check the website before bringing anything for redistribution as it cannot store items if they are not collecting that item that month.
Walton-on-Thames Repair Café
Walton-on-Thames Repair Café opens its doors to the public twice a month at Walton Centre for the Community.
Its team of over 20 volunteers are available to try and help repair a vast array of (portable) domestic items such as electric kettles, toasters, lamps, vacuum cleaners, garden equipment, tools, furniture, bikes, toys, ceramics, luggage and more while its textile team are ‘dab hands’ at dealing with troublesome zips, torn clothing, missing buttons, drooping hems and more.
The café at Manor Road, Walton, KT12 2PB also offers a ‘Craft and Chat’ space where you can take your projects (knitting, crochet, embroidery, macramé, for example) and either seek advice from others, or just enjoy crafting and chatting.
Sue Cooper from the administration team said the café receives 40 plus repair requests each month: “The focus of the café’s work is to reduce the amount of waste that goes to landfill, and the corresponding raw materials and energy needed to make replacement products - whilst at the same time helping reduce household expenditure! Visitors sit alongside repairers whilst they undertake the work, as the café aims to share, and pass on, practical skills. What’s not to like!”
The café runs on: the second Saturday morning 10am to 1pm and the fourth Wednesday afternoon 2pm to 4pm, of each month.
Pre-booking is needed for the Saturday cafe: email repaircafewot@gmail.com or call 07933 619818. A drop-in service is available at the Wednesday café, although pre-bookings are also accepted.
It is currently looking for volunteers to help it promote its work and manage its social media platforms – do get in touch with the café if you think you can help.
You can find out more about the International Repair Cafe movement.