Do you want to save money, learn new skills, meet nice people, and save good things from getting chucked away? Join others from across our community, and across Leeds, next Sunday (5 March 2023) for a meeting in Holbeck, to look at setting up ‘Repair Café’ events for South Leeds.
The ‘Repair Café’ movement is an international network of volunteer-led events, for people to gather and repair household items together, for free. It launched in Holland in 2009, and has been running in Leeds since 2016 – with dozens of events in communities across the city, including ones in Beeston and at The Tetley art gallery in Hunslet.
This forthcoming gathering – from 4pm, at The Holbeck club won’t be a repair event itself, but a meeting for people to find out and discuss how to set up more repair cafés across our communities. Those with fixing skills (mechanical, electrical, IT, sewing, anything) are very welcome, but you don’t need any such skills to get involved: those able to organise, manage, and promote events are also very much needed.
All roles are voluntary, but the time commitment is low, and flexible: just a few hours per month. The Leeds Repair Café team, who oversee the network, are keen to meet with and support local people to establish regular events in South Leeds – but are unable to lead on the events themselves.
Cllr Ed Carlisle (Green Party, Hunslet & Riverside) co-launched Leeds Repair Café in 2016, and still co-runs it to this day. He commented:
“Times are tight for all of us, but we can save money, and help the planet, by working together on projects like this. It’s been amazing to see the Repair Café movement spreading across the city, we’ve had a lot of fun over the years – and there’s certainly hunger to see it put down roots here in LS10 and LS11. But it will depend on local people stepping forward, and leading it – please join us next week, or get in touch anytime, to help out. Thanks!”
For more info on Leeds Repair Café, find the group on Facebook or Twitter, call Ed on 07738 921277, or join their meeting on 5 March at The Holbeck (Jenkinson Lawn, LS11 9QX).
This event is run in conjunction with the ‘Save Money and Save the Planet’ campaign (co-ordinated by St Luke’s CARES and partners), and Our Future Beeston.
This post is based on a press release issued by Cllr Ed Carlisle
Photo: A Repair Cafe at Kirkgate Market, February 2020
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