It’s International Repair Day on 21 October – and this year the theme is “Repair for Everyone“. It’s part of a campaign to remove barriers to getting items fixed, asking manufacturers to make their items more accessible to repairing, to make spare parts available and to explore ways that communities can bring repairing to more people.
It’s something that our Cumbria-wide sustainability network has really embraced.
Repair cafés are a real success story – there are around ten of them in Cumbria, usually open once a month. Staffed by volunteers they will take a chance at repairing most household items (do check beforehand, though) and they are friendly and sociable places to be – often connecting with other services such as composting advice or community gardens.
Repair cafés also are practical ways of fighting waste, and visitors can save items from landfill as well as saving money. It breaks the ‘disposable’ item culture. For example, did you know that 62% of broken toasters are repairable?
And there is plenty of support out there for budding repairers. The Repair Café site contains complete guides to setting up your own repair café and offers guides to fixing most household items.
Find a repair café near you here. Or get in touch with us if you want support setting up your own!
