Repair Café Success!

Since its launch in November, our monthly Repair Café, in collaboration with Makerspace at the Edward Boyle Library, has had a fantastic impact.

So far we’ve had 29 volunteers who, with the vast array of tools provided by Makerspace, have done 62 successful fixes! Students, staff, and community members alike have embraced the opportunity to breathe new life into a variety of items, from cherished toys to vintage electronics. 

How It Works: 

Bringing items to the Repair Café is simple – just come along to Makerspace in the Edward Boyle library during our designated hours. You can bring up to two items for assessment. The Repair Cafes are held once a month, with the next one set to be on 4 March. Our team of volunteers, including students, staff, and hobbyists, will guide you through the repair process, fostering a culture of skill-sharing and independence. 

Future plans and the Sustainable Fashion Project: 

We're excited to announce upcoming collaborations with the Student Repair Network and The Restart Project, expanding our impact beyond campus boundaries. 

Building on the success of the Repair Café, we're also proud to introduce our Sustainable Fashion Project! In partnership with disability charity Scope, we've hosted workshops where students and staff transformed unsold and damaged stock into trendy new pieces, set to hit Scope's shops and a campus pop-up shop later this year. Our next Sustainable fashion workshop will be on March 11. We’d love to see you there! 

Join Us in Making a Difference:  

Do you have a passion for sewing, tech tinkering, or just fixing things? We want YOU to join our team of volunteers! Reach out to Chris Bowie at c.bowie@leeds.ac.uk to get involved. 

Together, we're making a difference in our community and beyond, one repair at a time. Stay tuned for more updates and we’ll see you at Makerspace!

United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

We use the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a framework to guide our activity. Our work on the Repair Cafe is linked to the following SDGs:

• • Goal 11: Sustainable cities and communities
  • Goal 12: Responsible consumption and production
  • Goal 17: Partnerships for the goals

Find out more about our impact on the SDGs.