Join the Repair Revolution!
Repair, regenerate, revive! Communities across the Highlands and Islands have been coming together to learn how to repair their stuff. With consumption accounting for 26% of out total UK emissions every year (Office for National Statistics), repairing our old items rather than buying new is a great way to tackle climate change and save money.
What’s more is that by embracing your inventive repairing side, you are developing critical skills! And the next time you use your upcycled item you will really appreciate it’s value. Read on to discover how the Repair Revolution is spreading across the Highlands & Islands!
Lochaber Repair Cafe
Mhairi has been testing her repair knowledge by helping out at the Lochaber Repair Cafe! The Cafe is a collaboration between Lochaber Environmental Group, Highland Community Waste Partnership, The Workshop Studios, and Fort William Men’s Shed. The brilliant volunteers not only repair items but they involve the item’s owner to share their wisdom! At their first Repair Cafe, the volunteers received a whooping 17 items in need of some TLC, such as clocks, bikes and sewing machines. If you are based around Fort William and would like some repair help, mark you calendars for the 20th April and 22nd June for their next cafes taking place! All the information can be found on Lochaber Environmental Group’s Facebook page.
The Hub is delighted to support Lochaber Repair Cafe through our Climate Action Fund.
Black Isle Repair Cafe
Popping up in community spaces across the Black Isle, the Black Isle Repair Cafe allows locals a monthly chance to access repair and reuse opportunities to save money & the planet! Having just celebrated it’s 1st birthday, the collaboration cafe between Transition Black Isle, Black Isle Men’s Shed and the Highland Community Waste Partnership offers repairs for sewing, electrical and digital repairs as well as knife and tool sharpening, general repairs and bike repairs and checks.
The cafe runs on donations, and have a superb team of volunteers with great craic! If you fancy getting involved as a repairer, welcome desk, baker or help with marketing, do get in touch as they always welcome volunteers! And if you are a resident of the Black Isle, mark your calendars for their upcoming cafes, and get more information on their website.
Cairngorm Repair Cafe
The repair spirit has spread to the Cairngorms, where Repair Cafes are taking off too. One Sunday a month they take over Boat of Garten Hall to turn it into a Hub of repair activities! Just like the Black Isle & Lochaber Repair Cafes, Cairngorms is too managed by volunteers and follows a philosophy of learning as well as repair.
A common motto of all the repair cafes is ‘if you can carry it we can fix it’!
Thurso Community Development Trust
Sewing Classes
Throughout March, Thurso Community Development Trust helped locals become sewing machine pros! Whether it was re-learning old skills, or complete beginnings, the the training course helped people learn how to set up, maintain and use their sewing machine correctly and safely.
Keep an eye on their website and Facebook page for the next classes.
Tool Repair & Swap
Spring has sprung in Thurso! And the Trust are reopening their repair cafe and gardening tool swap at Thurso Grows Community Gardens for the new 2024 spring season! If you are in Thurso, head down to their first event on Saturday 23rd March with your gardening tools that might need some general maintenance/sharpening or repairs, and check out their Swap!
Not only will you leave with a repaired tool, but also the knowledge of how to repair it again!
While the event is free, the Trust asks you to book a slot through their website for repairs, and if all donated tools could be dropped off outside Socially Growing in advance of Saturday -https://www.thursocdt.co.uk/upcomingevents/gardening-repair-cafe-6nhma?fbclid=IwAR00V3c1WcUO5wLtbv-CMMM3N-2IGwW8EEKZxUqgZ6T8zktwmmzosV9SZig.
What’s next?
It is really impressive to see how repair initiatives have succeeded across the region, and the philosophy of sharing skills and learning is inspiring.
If you are looking to get into repairing, check out the Repair Cafes on Facebook to keep up to date with their events and becoming involved. The Highland Community Waste Partnership run some great events too!
To help promote repairing as part of a Circular Economy, Circular Communities Scotland have created a map to show circular work taking place across Scotland. Head here to find out what is happening near you - https://www.circularcommunities.scot/map/.
And finally, tag us your repair journeys on social media, we would love to see items given a new life!
#RepairRevolution