What do you do with a broken lamp, toaster or chair? Toss it? No way! Stitched Up are bringing repair BACK, by launching Manchester’s First Repair Cafe.
A Repair Cafe is a free community event where people get together to mend broken things. Run by volunteers, it aims to reduce waste but also to pass on important skills and provide
a space for people to get to know their neighbours.
Known for their clothes swaps and upcycling workshops around Greater Manchester, sustainable fashion collective Stitched Up wanted to help further reduce Manchester’s mountains of waste by offering a regular event for repairing household items.
The Manchester Repair Cafe will be held monthly, with tools and volunteer repairers on hand to help visitors to fix their broken electricals, furniture, clothing and bikes. All visitors need to do is bring along their broken item on the day, and the team will do their best to help repair them.
In Manchester, like all of the UK, we generate huge amounts of waste. By sharing skills in repair, Stitched Up hope to keep some of those household items out of landfill, helping save people money and reduce CO2 emissions in the process. But most of all, the team are passionate about bringing back the love and knowledge of mending.
Co-founder Emily says: “Lots of it is about having the confidence to have a go, to dismantle something and see how it’s been put together. We want people to be inspired to tinker! Repairing is fun and often really easy. When you make the effort to repair something, not only have you learned a new skill, but somehow it becomes a bit more special to you.”
“Nowadays we don’t necessarily have a financial incentive to repair, what with household items being relatively cheap,” adds Bryony, also from Stitched Up “But there’s definitely something of a repair revolution occurring - a growing appreciation of the art and practice of repair. We want Manchester to be a part of that, so we’re making the first step. Now we’re calling out to people across the city to roll their sleeves up and get stuck in!”
The team are looking for enthusiastic volunteers whether they have an interest or knowledge of repairing household items, or they’d simply like to come along, hang out with like-minded people and perhaps make the odd cup of tea. Donations of tools are also welcome.
The Repair Cafe will take place on the third Saturday of the month at 10am-2pm (starting 16 July), at Stitched Up HQ, 527B WIlbraham Road, Chorlton, Manchester, M21 0UF.
If you’d like to know more about the events, or would like to volunteer, visit: https://www.facebook.com/McrRepairCafe, or contact the team at Stitched Up on 0161 881 7141 or email: [email protected].