First ever 'Repair Cafe' to launch in Scarborough

People are being given the chance to have household items repaired and learn how to repair them

Author: Karen LiuPublished 18th Jul 2022

Scarborough residents are being given the chance to have household items repaired and to learn how to repair them at the town's first ever Repair Cafe.

It will take place at The Street tomorrow (Monday 18th July) from 10am to 12.30pm.

People are being asked to bring in one item each that needs repairing and a team of expert volunteers will take a look and see what can be done.

The idea is to reduce waste, save money, share skills and get people to work together to make the most of their resources.

The sorts of items that can be looked at are bicycles, electrical goods, small items of furniture and clothing. People can also learn how to sharpen knives and scissors.

Free drinks and refreshments will be available.

The initiative is a collaboration between Coast and Vale Community Action’s Circular Coast project and Leeds University’s Yorkshire Circular Lab.

David Stone, Coast and Vale Community Action’s Strategic Development Officer, said: “Repair Cafe’s are operating successfully around the world, offering an alternative to the throwaway culture that we have all got too used to, and we didn’t see why people on the Yorkshire Coast should miss out. Our Circular Coast project is about developing a circular economy locally, which means helping people make what they’ve got go further. Why waste money buying something new when you can mend something you already have?”

Michael Howroyd, Deputy Lead at the Yorkshire Circular Lab, said: “Repair Cafes are a great way of making the most of our resources, whether that’s weekly household budgets or raw materials, energy and greenhouse gas emissions that go into making new products. We are delighted to help create a new repair cafe in Scarborough and wish it every success.”

The Repair Cafe is part of the Circular Coast project led by Coast and Vale Community Action. You can find out more here: https://cavca.org.uk/circular-coast/

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