Do you have a toaster that’s stopped working, or a hole in your favourite shirt? Don’t throw them away, try the Repair Café!

Mickleover Library is launching a new Repair Café later this month. A team of friendly and knowledgeable volunteers will be on hand to give help and advice on fixing small electrical items, or giving clothes a new lease of life.

You can bring along small household electrical items like blenders, handheld vacuum cleaners, kettles, toasters and hairdryers. The volunteers can also tackle sewing repairs like patching, turning up a hem, replacing buttons and darning.

By visiting the Repair Café, you can:

  • Save money and avoid costly replacements by repairing your item
  • Help the environment by reducing waste and minimising the need for new production
  • Watch our skilled volunteers work and pick up tips on basic repairs you can try yourself
  • Meet new people and chat over a coffee.

Volunteer Judith will be sharing her sewing skills. She said:

I volunteered because I enjoy sewing and wondered if I could be helpful. Going back a couple of generations, people did used to mend things. My grandmother was an expert at sewing.

Now a lot of people don’t have the same skills or the confidence to have a go themselves, so they might put it to the back of the cupboard or throw it out.

I’m really keen to share my skills and show people how they could repair things themselves, so maybe next time they have the confidence to do it.

There’s also a great social element too. It’s very friendly and informal, you can just drop in and have a coffee and a chat.

Mickleover Library’s first Repair Café will take place on Saturday 25 January from 1:30pm until 4:30pm and they’ll continue on the last Saturday of every month. You can drop in at any point – there’s no need to make an appointment.

Councillor Sarah Chambers, Derby City Council Cabinet Member for Cost of Living, Equalities and Communities, said:

The Repair Café will be a fantastic addition to Mickleover Library. It will create a welcoming and inclusive space where people can come together to share their knowledge, learn new skills, and contribute to a more sustainable community.

The Derby Repair Café held at West End Community Centre has proved popular, as I’m confident this new one will at Mickleover Library. I'd love to see this initiative extended to other parts of the city.

For more information go to the Derby Libraries website or call Mickleover Library on 01332 647884. The team would love to hear from any potential volunteers with relevant skills. 

If you’d like to join them, or would like to volunteer at your local library in another way, contact the library by phone or email libraries@derby.gov.uk.