Repair Cafe saves 1000th item and over 6 tonnes of carbon

On 24th February 2024, at the 32nd session since they started in September 2019, the volunteer repairers welcomed the 1000th item to receive their attention. Katherine and Martin Gilson said: “We needed a clock for the kitchen and found a second hand one we liked via an online auction site. The hands were slightly bent so it didn’t tell the time properly – which is something of a fundamental flaw for a clock! Despite our best efforts we couldn’t get the hour hand to sit properly. We took it to the Repair Café and our repairer had the tools and knowledge to adjust the hands and get it working properly in no time. He also gave us some advice on clock maintenance which was very helpful. The clock is now sitting happily on the kitchen wall and is working perfectly. Thank you to everyone at the Repair Café for providing such a valuable service.“

The team are proud to report that by repairing 200 items in 2023, allowing them to go on being used, rather than being replaced by new ones, Buxton people have saved over 6 tonnes of CO2. According to the Repair Cafe Carbon Calculator https://www.repaircafe.org/en/new-tool-repair-cafe-carbon-calculator/ Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHG) saved is equivalent to driving 27,300 miles, or showering 4,112 times, or flying 40,122 miles. Not bad for a few volunteers in a church hall once a month.

Not every item that comes into the Repair Café can be fully repaired, mostly due to designed in obsolescence, but the enthusiastic volunteers will have a go at most things and have an impressive success rate. They have found ways around some of the tricks producers build into electrical appliances to encourage replacement instead of repair, but unfortunately some things still defeat them. The team are keen to see Right to Repair legislation strengthened to help extend the life of things to reduce damaging waste and save money. See: https://repairreusedeclaration.uk/

Transition Buxton CIC does not charge fees for the repair service but welcomes donations of an amount that you feel is fair and can afford to help cover their running costs.

The Repair Café team will be back on 23rd March, 9:30am – 1pm (last item in 12:30, and on the fourth Saturday of every month except July and December, ready to fix all sorts of domestic things including toys, tools, ceramics, clothes and more. If you want to bring an item in for repair please allow time to stay with it through the process – the repairers will need to ask you questions and you may even learn some new skills along the way. No pre-booking required. There are Fairtrade refreshments available from the Church Café while you wait.

You can contact the team by email [email protected]

For more information follow their page on Facebook or visit www.transitionbuxton.co.uk