About Us

Repair Cafe events 

Chiswick Repair Cafe is a voluntary community repair initiative set up in 2022 by four Chiswick residents with a shared interest in the environment. We met through the Hounslow Environmental Champions programme online, after the Covid lockdown, and when we started meeting up for coffee in person, the idea for the Chiswick Repair Cafe was born. We now hold repair cafe events once a month, except for holiday breaks in April, August and December. 

Aims

Our aims are to encourage repair, reduce waste and strengthen the local community. We want to help people live more sustainably; encouraging people to waste less and repair more, rather than throw their worn or broken things away.
 

What to expect 

Repair Cafes are volunteer-led organisations that host events where people bring their broken household items to be fixed. When you bring a broken or worn item to a repair cafe, a volunteer repairer will help you mend it, teach you repair skills, or offer advice on what can be done to fix your item. We also have delicious cake, tea and coffee available for visitors and volunteers to enjoy. Visitors pay for any necessary parts and are asked to make a donation towards running costs. 

Volunteers

We are lucky to work with over 50 volunteers with a broad range of repair skills and expertise. Everyone involved in Chiswick Repair Cafe is a volunteer; no-one is paid and each of us gives their time for free for this good cause. 

The joy of repair
Repairing seems to be incredibly rewarding for volunteers as well as visitors; the Mayor of Hounslow described the atmosphere at the Chiswick Repair Cafe as a kind of magic, another visitor said that our repairers are "wonder workers"!  Volunteers talk about the joy of repairing, and the amazing feeling of satisfaction they get when they have helped repair someone’s precious childhood toy, or when they have figured out how to get a visitor's kitchen blender working again. 

Giving back to the community

Any funds we have left over from running costs are donated to local and environmental charities each year, which are listed in our annual impact report. The charities are often suggested by our volunteers. 

Workshops

We also lead workshops and talks to inspire other people to set up repair cafes in their neighbourhoods. We have helped several groups get off the ground, across London and the UK, and as far afield as San Francisco. 

Part of a global movement 

We are members of the Repair Cafe Foundation based in the Netherlands, a non-profit organisation that supports local groups around the world in setting up their own repair cafes. 

We are also members of The ReStart Project, a UK-based organisation working to fix our relationship with electronics, through community repair events, and by campaigning for more ambitious Right to Repair legislation. 

Volunteer with us 

Our volunteers are at the heart of everything we do; repairing, setting up, welcoming visitors, serving teas and coffees, and helping to clear down at the end of each session. 

We would particularly like to hear from you if you have expertise in electrical repair, or social media expertise to offer. 

If you are interested in what we do and would like to visit us, we would be delighted to show you around and can let you know when a suitable vacancy arises.  

Come and visit, or email us at: chiswickrepaircafe@gmail.com