Volunteers at Baughurst Repair Cafe, in the village hall in Heath End Road, have mended almost 500 items since it first opened on August 9, 2023, and are now celebrating the one-year milestone. Those involved in running the cafe have expressed how in the short space of time, volunteers have "exceeded expectations," with the amount of items they have repaired. Cllr Colin Cooper is the treasurer for the repair cafe, which uses the motto 'don't bin it, repair it', he was "surprised" by how well the cafe has done in the time it has been open.
He told the : "The level of donations and the number of repairs has really exceeded our expectations, and I think it has been a bonus for the community. "Many people are returning because the service is so good, I am very, very pleased as treasurer and as a councillor by what we have achieved in just one year." When asked about whether any specific items spring to mind that the volunteers have repaired, he said: "Absolutely, I can think of many.
There was a cherished teddy bear that lost its stuffing which was beautifully restored by a seamstress. "A lady brought in an antique typewriter which didn't work, one of our volunteers brought it back home with him to fix, and when he returned, it was immaculate - so much so that the lady was so pleased she donated £100 to the repair cafe. "There was even a ceramic bowl which had about one-sixth cut out from the side, and when we were done with it, you couldn't even tell it was mended.
" So far, volunteers at the cafe have racked up an incredible 825 hours between them, spending the time fixing items that would otherwise have been thrown out by their owners. Colin explained how the cafe is now trying to make 'spin-off' facilities to help the community, one of which is a tool donation station. He said: "I currently have hundreds and hundreds of screwdrivers which people have donated.
"The idea is to take donations of hand and electric tools for DIY at home to be available for people to use. "I'm surprised at the level of donations, and I am grateful to everyone who has donated." Colin remarked that he has been asked by members of the public "on several occasions" to "take the cafe elsewhere," and said how he is "surprised by the popularity" of it.
He added that the "beauty of it is that people can sit down and learn how it is done, so in the future they know how to fix things for themselves." Readers can find out more by visiting ..
