Climate Oxney, will be bringing ‘The Collectors’, three junk couture figures and the video of the same name, to celebrate the first anniversary of Rye Repair Cafe (RRC) on May 10, between 10am and noon at the community centre on Conduit Hill. Based on native birds, the three life-size models are constructed ingeniously from domestic waste products, teabags, brown paper, shoelaces, care labels and everyday plastic.
In this first year of the Repair Cafe we held eight sessions, sharpened 185 items, mended clocks and jewellery, repaired 42 textile items, mended 12 bikes, made 47 electrical goods reusable, and helped several people with computers and mobiles. In total 310 items were brought into RRC during the year, many were repaired, some were beyond usage and advice was given by the volunteer repairers. It is free but we are grateful for donations for the hall and upfront costs which will need to be re-imbursed to the core groups.
Climate Oxney hold climate conversations four times a year to discuss issues such as how to reduce unnecessary consumption, especially of fossil fuels and single use items. Their latest project is a community garden at Wittersham Village Hall. Inspired by, and joining up with, local initiatives such as Rye Community Garden, to bring neglected land back into use, they have taken over the playground of the village hall and transformed it in three months. Artists and designers involved in the collective believe in making something from nothing, or re-making it which is taking refuse to a whole new level of re-use
You can find more information on the Rye Repair Cafe here.
Image Credits: Kate Miller , Sandra Lannigan .