April Repairs: Lights, Lawnmowers, Textiles and Tea

in Publicity / Photos

Our April repair café took place on Saturday 25th April at Tregony Village Hall, with another good mix of electrical, mechanical, textile and household items coming through the door.

As ever, the afternoon was about more than just fixing things. Some items went home working again, some needed further parts or advice, and some gave their owners a clearer idea of what to do next. That is all part of keeping useful things in use for as long as we safely can.

Volunteer hands repairing a small electronic circuit board on a table at Tregony Repair Café

What we repaired

Among the items repaired this month were:

  • a lawnmower, with a broken piece glued and reinforced
  • Christmas lights, brought back to life with a bulb change
  • a bird box power-supply cable, with the joint repaired
  • trousers, turned up by the textile team
  • a jumper with underarm seams repaired
  • an anorak sleeve rip
  • a cardigan neck repair
  • a dog harness, resewn and ready for use again
  • a fan heater, where a loose cable in the plug was restrained
  • a ceramic rabbit, carefully glued back together

A treadmill belt and frame being inspected during a repair session

A white portable fan heater on a table awaiting repair or testing

Textiles and careful mending

The textile table was busy again. Clothing repairs are often some of the most immediately satisfying: a seam, hem, zip or tear can be the difference between something being worn again and something sitting in a cupboard.

Hands sewing a small repair in blue-grey fabric at the Repair Café

What we couldn’t finish on the day

Not everything can be repaired in a two-hour café session. This month:

  • a walking machine appeared to have a possible power-supply issue and needed further investigation
  • a 4-slice toaster had one faulty side, and the owner was advised to return it under warranty if possible
  • a car polisher had a broken switch or contact; the owner may bring a replacement part to a future café

An opened household appliance being examined on a table during Repair Café

A wooden candle bridge light being tested on a repair table

A rabbit ornament on bubble wrap at the Repair Café

Feedback from visitors

We had plenty of feedback forms returned. The comments were warm and encouraging, with visitors saying things like “Feel so welcome”, “Very helpful” and “Very happy”. People heard about us through word of mouth, Facebook and the Roseland Magazine.

Tea, coffee, biscuits and mugs on a table for Repair Café visitors and volunteers

Thank you — and can you help?

A big thank you to everyone who brought items in, helped with the repairs, made tea, welcomed visitors, filled in forms, or simply helped make the afternoon friendly and useful.

We are always looking for more volunteers. You do not have to be an expert repairer: sewing, electrical and mechanical skills are all welcome, but so are people who can help with greeting visitors, making tea, taking photos, filling in forms, or keeping the afternoon running smoothly. If you would like to get involved, please come along to a café, find us on Facebook, or contact us through the website.

Our next repair café is on Saturday 23rd May, 1-3pm at Tregony Village Hall. Bring along something broken and we will see what we can do. Repairs are not guaranteed, but we will always try to give useful, safe advice.