The Rising Demand For Repair Cafes In Kent & Sussex
Repair cafes allow the opportunity to get all manner of broken household items fixed for free, with any donations you can afford to pay greatly appreciated in order to help keep them running.
Image Photo by Kris Atomic on Unsplash
From clothing and furniture, to toys and bikes, as well as all manner of electronics, there are a raft of household items you can take there to try to get fixed. The relevant tools will be on hand to help, as well as experts to offer their help and advice.
Repair cafes are proving increasingly popular in Kent and Sussex – as they are both country and world-wide – with lots of new locations popping up all the time locally. We’ve taken a look at where you can find one and the benefits of using them.
The popularity of repair cafes is due to several reasons. Climate change and sustainability is a top issue on people’s minds and with the realisation we are becoming a world that is overconsuming and creating too much waste, people are trying to find new ways to help save the planet and are increasingly conscious of what they use and what they throw away.
The longer the lifespan of an item means the less need for new ones to be created, resulting in reducing the CO2 emissions created in the manufacturing process. Therefore being less wasteful not only reduces what is going into landfills, but also what we are pumping out into the atmosphere through production.
Add to this the cost-of-living crisis – and people not having the money to be able to buy new items – and the old adage of ‘make do and mend’ has made a massive resurgence.
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Manned by teams of volunteers these really are community hubs where people cannot only get items repaired but meet others and make new friends sharing the same ethos of cutting back on waste – the emphasis is on people working together to find ways to prolong the life of all household items.
If you want to be a volunteer at a repair cafe you do not necessarily have to have a specific skill in repairing something, as there are also people needed to help with organising the event, taking donations and handing out the tea and coffee! But if you do have a special skill, visit your local venue and see how you can help.
Here are just some of the repair cafes held locally in Kent and Sussex. If yours is not on the list and you would like to have it added, please let get in touch by emailing info@indexdigital.co.uk
KENT
Repair Cafe Ashford
Every Wednesday, 1pm-4pm.
In the workshop, Singleton Environment Centre, Wesley School Road (off Cuckoo Lane), Singleton, Ashford, Kent TN23 5LW.
To find out more, click here.
Canterbury Repair Cafe
Second Saturday of the month, 10am-12.30pm.
Hub Cafe, Baptist Church, St George's Place, Canterbury, Kent CT1 1XB (opposite Waitrose).
To find out more, click here.
Dover Repair Cafe
Usually the last Wednesday of the month, 6.30pm-8.30pm.
Biggin Hall, Biggin Street, Dover, Kent CT16 1BD.
To find out more, click here.
Edenbridge Repair Café
Third Saturday of the month,10am-1pm.
Eden Center, Four Elms Road, Edenbridge, Kent TN8 6BY.
To find out more, click here.
Repair Cafe Faversham
Twice a month, one Saturday at Age UK, one Wednesday at Macknade, 10am-1pm.
For dates and venues, click here.
Malling and District Repair Café
Third Saturday of the month, 10.30am-1.30pm.
East Malling Village Hall, New Road, East Malling, Kent ME19 6DD.
To find out more, click here.
Sevenoaks Repair Cafe
Second Saturday of the month, 10am-1pm.
St Luke's Church, Eardley Road, Sevenoaks, Kent TN13 1XT.
To find out more, click here.
Tenterden Repair Cafe
First Saturday of the month, 1pm-3.30pm.
Highbury Hall, Highbury Lane, Tenterden, Kent TN30 6LE.
Organised by Sustainable Tenterden. To find out more, click here.
Tonbridge Repair Cafe
Second Saturday of the month, 10am-12.30pm.
St Stephen’s Church, Waterloo Road, Tonbridge, Kent TN9 2SW (entrance via the South Porch).
To find out more, click here.
Tunbridge Wells Repair Café
Third Saturday of the month, 10am-1pm.
Trinity Theatre, Church Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 1JP.
To find out more, click here.
SUSSEX
Brighton Repair Café
First Saturday of the month, 10am-12noon.
St George’s Hall, Newick Road, Moulsecoomb, Brighton, Sussex BN1 9JG.
To find out more, click here.
Crowborough Repair Café
First Saturday of the month, 10am-12.30pm.
Ashdown Junior School, Herne Road, Crowborough, Sussex TN6 2NT.
To find out more, click here.
Repair Cafe Forest Row
Third Saturday of the month, 10am-1pm.
Community Centre, Hartfield Road, Forest Row, Sussex RH18 5DZ.
To find out more, click here.
Horsham Repair Café
Part of Sussex Green Hub, last Saturday of the month, 10am-2.30pm.
United Reformed Church, 45 Springfield Road, Horsham, Sussex RH12 2RG.
To find out more, click here.
Lewes Repair Café
First Saturday of the month, 2pm-5pm.
Landport Community Hub, Landport Road, Lewes, Sussex BN7 2SU.
To find out more, click here.
Lindfield Repair Cafe
First Saturday of the month, 10am-1pm.
United Reformed Church, 52 High Street, Lindfield, Sussex RH16 2HL.
To find out more, click here.
Mayfield & Five Ashes Repair Café
Third Saturday of the month, 10am-1pm.
Merrieweathers Farm, East Street, Mayfield, Sussex TN20 6RJ.
To find out more, click here.
Newhaven Green Centre Repair Café
Various dates, check website for times.
Meeching Hall, 2A Fort Road, Newhaven, Sussex BN9 9QQ.
To find out more, click here.
Robertsbridge & Brightling Repair Café
Check website for dates and times.
11-23 Station Road, Robertsbridge, Sussex TN32 5DG.
To find out more, click here.
Uckfield Repair Café
Fourth Saturday of the month, 9.30am-1pm.
Victoria Pavilion, Victoria Pleasure Ground, Uckfield, Sussex TN22 5DJ.
To find out more, click here.
Times and venues subject to change, please check with cafe before visiting. There is also often a cut off time for arriving with an item. Some venues cannot repair specific items, check websites for details.
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