Transition Wilmslow's first Repair Café was held at St Chad's church hall in Handforth on Saturday, 12th October, where 14 experienced amateur repairers had volunteered to help and undertook over 40 repairs to a wide range of items.
The event was attended by about 100 people, some of whom came along just to watch and see what they might bring another time.
Andrew Backhouse, Chair of Transition Wilmslow commented "Brian Fox undertook bike repairs –a nd was not flummoxed by an elderly lady's rollator, which the shop had said was not repairable. She was able to leave with all brakes working again.
"Electrical things were the biggest cause of problems – a child's Gameboy was restored, though a liquidizer was failed as the motor was burnt out. Not everything could be fixed by the team! Some people came to watch and hope to bring more items if it happens again.
"There was a treat if you took items for furniture repair – not everyone gets chairs fixed by a medical Professor, or clocks by a 98 ¾ year old Dr Philip Briggs. The sewing team helped to overhaul a sewing machine, and repair a much-loved coat – though there was also some knitting going on too. One poor teddy had major limb surgery."
This week Transition Wilmslow will consider whether to run the event again, which - from the feedback received - seems likely.
Andrew Backhouse, added "It was a real joy to send people away buzzing with the pleasures of having had much loved things repaired – and ideally knowing how to do it themselves another time. It is great to have people reusing/repairing things, rather than throwing away and contributing to our destruction of the planet."
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