Community Over Consumerism: Start a Repair Café

The Repair Revolution is an inspiring read by a woman who set up a New York repair café that fixes lamps to cleaners, clocks to chairs, clothing to dolls and even sharpens tools. Co-author John sadly died recently, but was also instrumental in the USA’s repair cafe movement.

Their website says ‘Most items get fixed – but even when they don’t, we have a good time trying!’

Although you should throw out dodgy Christmas lights etc, repair cafes are great to mend most items. Some staff are paid (a good honest way to make a living) and others are run by volunteers.

Find a low-cost starter kit at Repair Cafe International.
Use the unique code to order a Repair Café toolkit and find tips to repair clocks to furniture.
In London, The Restart Project runs ‘repair parties’ (fixes tablets to toasters and iPhones to headphones).
Lewes Repair Cafe has volunteers who can mend zips to bicycles, broken china to garden tools. You even get tea and cake!
If you’re skilled in DIY, sign up at Restarters to get involved in the worldwide effort.