On Saturday, February 8, the Community Centre was filled with a quiet purposefulness as the Repair Café got under way for its first outing of 2025. The experts sat at their desks waiting for objects to mend or to offer advice and they did not have to wait long. A continual stream of customers came and went with their objects in a far better condition than when they had arrived.
Martin arrived with a pair of shears in need of sharpening and was a little taken aback to learn that they were the bluntest that had passed through the Repair Café. He left extremely happy and explained that he was off to plan his next topiary project in the garden.
This event’s popularity is spreading far and wide due to word of mouth and social media. A couple came from Bexhill with jewellery to have mended and whilst they waited they sat with a warming cup of tea and home-made cakes supplied by the volunteers of the café.
Whilst Jake Willis was assessing the problem with a Wallace and Gromit speaking and musical alarm clock, lots of people popped by and said: “I had one of those,” – nostalgia overload. Jake was also looking at Geoff’s Del Boy’s car (also an alarm clock) which needed a light to be fixed. Geoff was very proud of his mementos of his past and all the memories they evoked.
Dominic Manning of the Repair Café summed up the event: “In all, more than fifty items were assessed, most of which were mended. This included four sewing machines and two vacuum cleaners, all fixed. More than seventy visitors attended the event, which takes place on the second Saturday of the month between 10-12 at Rye Community Centre. Two new volunteers joined the growing team of enthusiastic repairers
Andy and Beverley from Strandliners were in the foyer telling people about the amazing work that they do. This little video sums up his enthusiasm for the difference the Strandliners makes to our waterways. Love our Rother, organised by Strandliners, takes place on Saturday February 15, from 11am-3pm at Tilling Green Community Centre, with Water as the theme. It was at last year’s Love Our Rother that the team behind the Repair café came up with the idea. What new exciting community initiatives might this year’s event bring?
Image Credits: Kt bruce , Sandra Lanigan , Sandra Lanigan .
What I took along couldn’t be repaired..but at least the screws and plug was donated to the repairer to use..and the rest of it I put out today with the recycling…so at least it’s gone off with a clear conscience.. That I didn’t throw it out with out trying..
If you have a bicycle go along just to get it checked out… Only one went this time..