Lindfield Repair Café's 4th Anniversary

Join us in our celebrations! Saturday 1st November 10am-1pm

By Nicola Coughlin

November marks 4 years since Lindfield Repair Café first opened its doors and we continue to be overwhelmed by its popularity and success. The number of visitors regularly tops 100 each month and the total number of repairs to date is over 3000. ‘We are delighted that so many treasured items have been brought back to life and everyday items have been prevented from ending up in landfill.’ says LRC Founder, Trevor Carpenter, ‘Moreover, the monthly event has become a real community hub, with visitors, many of whom have become regulars, enjoying a cuppa, cake and a chat in the lounge.’ The Repair Café team is keen to work with and promote other local non-profit organisations who provide a service to the community, and we regularly invite them to set up in the lounge to meet our visitors. Andi Frost and her Fill Good Van are now a regular feature at the Saturday events, where she parks outside so that visitors can stock up on groceries and eco cleaning products on their way past. We also offer recycling points for used batteries, candlewax and empty printer cartridges.

The number of skilled volunteers continues to grow, allowing us to offer a wide range of repairs from textiles, jewellery and ceramics to electrical, woodwork and even clocks. We are so grateful for the enthusiasm and dedication of all our volunteers who help us to run such a rewarding and friendly event each month. Sometimes it’s simply a case of offering advice or explaining which parts are required, so that visitors can get what is needed and bring it back next time. Whether you are a regular or occasional visitor, or if you're coming along for the first time, we would love to see you on Saturday 1st November to help us celebrate this wonderful achievement. Bring along your items for repair or just pop in to see what it’s all about. You may even like to join our fantastic team of volunteers. ‘We are also very keen to encourage the next generation of repairers,’ says Trevor, ‘and to this end, we have a Kids’ Room at each event where our younger visitors have the chance to improve their skills by engaging in various activities using old or recycled products.’