November Repairs: Busy Before Winter Break

Our November 22nd repair café was busy, with positive feedback from visitors. From laptops upgraded to textiles mended, the day demonstrated the range of repairs we handle. Visitor comments included “ecstatic”, “Fab-u-lous”, and “Fantastic Service”.

Textile Repairs

The textiles crew completed a substantial number of repairs: trousers shortened, jumpers repaired, cushion zips replaced, curtains rehemmed, and a Christmas robin that received a new tummy cover. The textile team was busy throughout the afternoon.

A mini cool bag getting its handle mended.

Additional textile work included shortening trousers and mending rucksack straps.

Technology and Laptops

The tech team worked on several laptops: installing Linux on one, reinstalling Windows on another, and repairing an Office installation on a third - extending the usable life of these machines.

Diagnostics and repair work in progress.

Equipment and (Miniature) Vehicles

An electric blanket was repaired by cleaning the contacts. Outdoor equipment repairs included two lawnmowers and a toy tractor with wheel joint issues.

The tractor with its wheel joint successfully fixed.

Two scooters were brought in with alignment issues. After careful work adjusting bearings and aligning wheels, they were back in working order!

Scooters with wheels aligned and bearings adjusted.

Electrical Repairs

An electric blanket that wasn’t working properly was brought back to life through careful cleaning of its contacts.

The electric blanket after successful repair.

When Repairs Can’t Happen

Not everything could be fixed. A Shark vacuum cleaner had motor damage beyond repair, and a dehumidifier had electronics issues we couldn’t resolve.

Sometimes the damage is beyond what we can repair - this vacuum’s motor was too far gone.

A Dualit hand mixer had melted gears internally, making repair impossible. These unsuccessful attempts are still valuable - they help people make informed decisions about whether to replace items or seek specialist help.

Community Spirit

The book and puzzle swap table continues to be popular, giving our community a way to share resources beyond repairs. One unlucky person went home with a book written by Ian.

Books and puzzles available for the community to swap and share.

Merry Christmas and See You in 2026

Thank you to all our volunteers and visitors. We’re taking our usual winter break and will return in the new year!

Our next repair café is on Saturday, February 28th, 2026, 1-3pm at Tregony Village Hall.

Merry Christmas from Tregony Repair Café. We look forward to seeing you in February!