Portstewart and Dungiven Repair Cafes tackle climate crisis and support community

County Derry will play host to a number of Repair Cafes this month, as the eco-friendly, cost-effective community service grows in popularity promoting the circular economy.

Bring along your broken items to be mended for free, is the message publicised by community organisations, Be Safe Be Well Men’s Sheds and Hands That Talk, both hosting Repair Cafes in February.

Be Safe Be Well Men’s Sheds provided a Repair Café for the Refreshers Fair, University of Ulster, Coleraine, on Monday, January 29, and a Repair Cafe is also planned for Portstewart Men’s Shed on Saturday, February 3 from 10.30am – 12.30pm.

Hands That Talk will host another Repair Café at 116 Main Street, Dungiven on Saturday, February 10 from 10am -12pm.

Catherine Taylor, Director of Be Safe Be Well Men’s Sheds, explained the reasons why Repair Cafes are a rising trend:

“People are recognising now with the climate crisis, that the need to reuse, repair and recycle isn’t just a novelty, it is a necessity.

“That, coupled with the cost-of living crisis, has really compelled people to look at things that can be repaired instead of buying new stuff.

“People are also interested in learning to repair, which is a very important part of the Repair Cafes – it isn’t just the experience of getting something fixed, it is also learning that they can do that themselves, so it is very much about empowering people.”

Catherine points to the swell in demand driving an appeal for new volunteers, who can further develop the skills that the Repair Cafés offer:

“The Repair Café movement is growing, which is fantastic, we have increased demand for the Repair Cafes and we do need volunteers.

“The more volunteers we have, the more Repair Cafes that we can run!

“We are just looking for people to give it a go, they don’t have to be experts, the only area we prefer to have people trained in is electrics and ideally, we are looking for electricians or retired electricians in that area.

“Other than that, we are interested in people who have general DIY skills, sewing skills, textile skills, including leather work.

“We are interested in people to do electronic repairs, possibly for mobile phones.

“We are also looking for people who are happy to help out with the administration and management of the day and make tea and coffee.”

Heartwarming stories of precious keepsakes preserved are common at the Repair Cafes; A toy sailor brought to a recent Be Safe Be Well Men’s Shed Repair Café was restored to glory preserving the memory of a friend who served on the Royal Yacht Brittanica.

Ann Owens, the Finance Manager of Hands That Talk described how the Repair Café not only helps people from Dungiven to mend broken items but helps to integrate the Deaf community within the town:

“We have a deaf gentleman who upcycles furniture, and through him, we have organised a Repair Café.

“The last Repair Café we held here, we had two or three joiners and an electrician, we also had someone who fixed watches and bikes, and this time, we will have members from Men’s Shed coming too.

“We also have ladies who sew here, with sewing machines, so anyone who needs a zip put in or buttons sewn can come along.

“Our facilitator is profoundly deaf and out sewing ladies are also deaf so we will provide an interpreter on the day.

“It gives them a sense of achievement, it is great for their confidence and it helps to integrate the hearing and deaf communities.

“Bring along your broken item, you will get it fixed on the day and take it home with you free of charge!

“The last Repair Café went down very well, we had lots of people from the town calling in and we hope this one will be the same!”