Have you got small household items that need some tender loving care (TLC) and you haven't got the time or skills to fix them yourself? Don't bin them, bring them to the Repair Café Leighton Buzzard and let our volunteer fixers try to mend them or give advice.
We're all looking for ways to save. Many household items are replaced unnecessarily for a minor issue that could be easily repaired for free, or for a fraction of the cost.
On average, we each throw away 23.9kg of e-waste per year. The UK is set to become the world's largest producer by 2024. Let's limit the effects of our throwaway society.
Repair cafes are all about sharing skills to maintain and repair goods. It's amazing how much you can fix with a few tips, tricks, and a little confidence. Come share your knowledge!
A Repair Café is a pop-up community event that matches people who need stuff fixed with people who like to fix things. A key principle of a Repair Café is that when you bring an item to be repaired, you sit with the repairer whilst they attempt to carry out the fix, so that you learn more about the item and the repair process.
Totally Leighton Buzzard host monthly Repair Café events in Leighton Buzzard. We bring the cake, you bring your broken items! Everyone brings a willingness to share and learn.
Repair Cafés are part of fixing our relationship with our belongings and things and helping reduce waste and landfill. The first Repair Café started in 2009 in Amsterdam, Holland and has grown worldwide to over 2000 cafes in various forms.
We welcome small household items and appliances that you can bring to our events. These for example include:
Textiles and clothing repairs, upholstery and similar
Items such as clocks, toasters, blenders, kettles, lamps, sewing machines, coffee machines, fans etc
Electronics such as headphones, CD/DVD Players, hi-fi systems, portable entertainment, cameras, childrens toys, etc
Desktops and laptops; Windows or Mac. (Printers - best effort only)
Washing machines, dishwashers, microwaves etc. These are too big and bulky to bring in.
We're not set up for reparing screens of any sort.
We can't accept bicycles for now, however the Buzz Cycles group runs existing regular Dr Bike repair sessions. Find out more here
Our Repair Café operates on a donation basis. We don't charge for attending or repairs, as our volunteers donate their time and expertise. However, we welcome donations to help cover our running costs, such as venue hire, tools, equipment, and refreshments.
If your repair requires specific replacement parts, you may need to cover those costs. We can advise you on this during the assessment of your item, and where possible we can help you find out where you can purchase the parts. You can then bring the replacement parts with you to the next Repair Café.
While booking isn't always required, we recommend registering your item through our website. This saves time when you visit, helps us ensure we have the right repairers available and can manage the flow of repairs effectively. Some items may require specific tools or expertise, so letting us know in advance helps us prepare. However, we always welcome walk-ins and will do our best to accommodate everyone.
When you arrive, you will be required to check-in your item, and sign a disclaimer if you have not already done so online.
Depending on the availability of volunteer repairers available at that time, there could be a short wait before a relevant repairer is free to look at your item. Please use this opportunity to buy a drink or some cake and have a chat with others.
When a relevant repairer becomes available, you are encouraged to sit with them, watch the repair process and ask questions (and even assist, if you can). Repair Cafés are essentially about sharing skills and knowledge.
Sometimes, despite our best efforts, items may be beyond repair or the repair might not be economically viable. In these cases, our repairers will explain the issue and might be able to suggest alternatives or recommend reliable places for replacement. The learning experience is still valuable - you'll understand what went wrong and might be able to make a more informed decision next time you purchase a similar item. We will also help inform on how you can dispose of the item responsibly.
Absolutely! We're always looking for people with repair skills to join our team. Whether you're a professional or an experienced hobbyist, if you have skills in electronics, mechanics, textiles, or general repairs, we'd love to hear from you. You don't need to commit to every session - even helping out occasionally makes a big difference. It's a great way to share your knowledge, meet like-minded people, and contribute to reducing waste in our community. Please register or login and let us know what skills you can donate, or contact us for more information.