Run by Share & Repair, a volunteer-led, community project in Bath and North East Somerset, the Repair Café aims to help local people to protect the environment and save money through reduce, repair and reuse. At the end of last year we held the first Repair Café right here on campus. Students and staff brought everything from electrical and mechanical items, to furniture and clothing for the skilled volunteers to mend. Watch the video below to check it out for yourself.

The SU have now built on the partnership with Share & Repair to ensure the Repair Cafés become a sustainable and ongoing feature on campus, especially looking to link SU groups such as the People and Planet initiative. With this in mind, the next Repair Café will be based in the SU and will be a sewing-focussed event held on Thursday 27 February, which includes a workshop on basic sewing of buttons and seams. Keep an eye on the events section of the homepage for more details.

Repairs are free if no part is required, although donations are welcome to help cover running costs.

Anna Boneham, SU Volunteer and Societies Manager, said: "We are really looking forward to working with Share and Repair to offer future Repair Cafes. The SU especially values the charity’s message of sustainability in a world where waste is very much a topical subject at the moment."

We also spoke with David James, one of our very own AV Support Technicians, who volunteers his time to help at the café: "I'm a firm believer in reusing, reducing and re-cycling and throughout my career I've been doing just that by repairing TVs, Hi-Fi and other audio visual devices. Volunteering for the Repair Cafe was a natural decision and it's great to inspire the next generation of students to protect the future of our planet." David also produced the below video for us – a man with many strings to his bow!

Got a broken toaster or a torn pair of trousers and can’t wait until the next University date? Each Saturday Share & Repair run one of four regular Repair Cafés in Bath and North East Somerset, so there’s bound to be one near you.