In January 2016, Tower St Methodist Church ran its first ever monthly Repair Café, inviting people across the community to bring along any object that had seen better days and have it looked at – and if possible, repaired – by their team of expert repairers.  

People came in with all manner of items, from clothing to electrical items like sewing machines and CD players. Six repairers kindly gave their talents and time for the day to try and see what they could get fixed.  

The café is now a recurring monthly event at Tower St. and repairers enjoy passing on their skills and techniques, and people in the community come along for a chat and a cuppa.  

The objects all come with stories, as many are worth much more in sentimental value than monetary. To take just one example, one woman in her 90s had a pottery rabbit that she had bought for her mother when she was a child. The café is making a huge difference to the community, providing a much-needed service and companionship too.