Category: Engineering in the Community

Mayor of the West of England champions Circular Economy at UWE Bristol Repair Café

Author katcorbett | Posted on

We were delighted to welcome Helen Godwin, Mayor of the West of England, to our March Repair Café at the School of Engineering. The Mayor brought along her family’s cuckoo clock for repair, which had stopped working, and was supported by a team of staff, students, and community volunteers.

The Repair Café is a free monthly event held every second Wednesday during term-time, offering UWE Bristol staff, students, and the wider public the chance to have broken items repaired. From electrical appliances to clothes, and anything that can be glued, soldered or stitched, the initiative embodies UWE Bristol’s commitment to the circular economy and sustainability.

Since launching in 2023, the Repair Café has hosted 22 events, with over 1,660 volunteer hours contributed. More than 600kg of waste has been kept out of landfill, preventing an estimated 4,628kg of CO2 emissions – the equivalent of growing 77 tree seedlings over ten years.

Mayor Helen Godwin said, Initiatives like this are such a great example of our community coming together. Experts are mentoring and working with young people, passing on practical skills while helping people to fix and reuse things they care about.

“It also shows how reuse and repair are part of our region’s DNA – bringing people together, sharing knowledge, and celebrating the good things happening across the West of England.”

Kat Corbett, Interim Head of Circular Economy at UWE Bristol, added, “We’re so happy Helen stopped by the Repair Café to make use of the skilled staff, students and members of the public that volunteer here and collectively support people with the cost of living while also helping them to live more sustainably.

“As a university, we’re committed to reducing waste and embracing a circular economy. We’d really encourage members of our local community to make use of this free service available to them and have their own items repaired, like Helen.”

Dr Laura Fogg Rogers, Associate Professor in Engineering in Society, who leads student engagement in the Repair Café, said, “Our Repair Café events empower students to develop their skills to repair items, as well as gaining employability experience. Events like this are a great example of the Everyday Economy, and a growing sector for green jobs. That’s why we support the Bristol Repair Coalition to grow the repair and reuse movement across the West of England.”

Members of the public interested in having items repaired can sign up for upcoming Repair Café events via UWE Bristol’s website.

New year-round opportunity to propose community projects with UWE Bristol engineering students

Author engineering | Posted on

The School of Engineering at UWE Bristol is pleased to announce that proposals for community projects linked to the Professionalism in Engineering module can now be submitted throughout the year via a new MS Form. This development offers greater flexibility for local community, voluntary, and social enterprise organisations to engage with our students and benefit from their engineering expertise.

Led by Laura Fogg Rogers and Rakesh Gopinath, this module provides engineering students with the opportunity to work in small teams (4–6 students) on real-world projects that support their learning in professional skills, sustainability, and ethical practice. In return, community partners receive free consultancy, fresh perspectives, and practical design proposals.

What the Project Involves

  • Projects typically require around 15 hours of student input to reach a project pitch stage.
  • Student teams come from diverse advanced engineering backgrounds, developing skills in teamwork, client communication, and project management.
  • Projects can address a wide range of challenges, such as sustainable design, clean energy, or infrastructure adaptation to meet community needs.
  • Students will ideally visit the project site to understand the context and engage with stakeholders.
  • The process includes defining the problem, planning, risk assessment, developing solutions, and presenting a project pitch to community partners.
  • Final written proposals are submitted after the pitch, detailing design concepts and delivery plans.

Key Dates

  • Site visits are typically planned for the late February during class tutorial time.
  • Project pitches will take place at the end of March, with community partners invited to attend in person or online.
  • Final proposals will be submitted in April.
  • We will be in touch with selected organisations in November to progress projects.

How to Submit

If your organisation has a project idea that could benefit from engineering input, please submit your proposal via the proposal submission form. For any questions, contact us at engineeringourfuture@uwe.ac.uk.

Launching a new toolkit for MAKERS: Repair, Belonging, and Sustainability in Action

Author engineering | Posted on

At UWE Bristol, the MAKERS project – Making And Knowledge Exchange for Repair and Sustainability – has been showing how practical repair and making activities can transform engineering education. Now, we’re excited to share the next step: the launch of the How to Create MAKERS guide and toolkit, designed to help other universities and colleges embed similar approaches in their own student communities.

What is MAKERS?

Delivered by the Science Communication Unit at UWE Bristol and supported by over £115,000 from the Royal Academy of Engineering’s Diversity Impact Programme, MAKERS connects students with local maker and repair communities across the West of England. Through workshops and monthly Repair Cafés, students build hands-on skills, tackle real-world sustainability challenges, and strengthen their sense of belonging in engineering.

The initiative was designed to widen participation in engineering by supporting women and students from Global Majority backgrounds. In its first year, the results have been striking: 32% of regular participants were women – double the UK engineering average – and 77% came from Global Majority backgrounds. Alongside these inclusion outcomes, MAKERS has prevented 248 kg of waste, saved 1.6 tonnes of CO₂, co-developed projects with 17 organisations, and welcomed more than 70 community participants.

“Repair and making are not just about fixing objects – they’re about building communities, confidence, and resilience,” said Dr Laura Fogg-Rogers, Associate Professor for Engineering in Society and MAKERS lead. “Through this initiative, we’re showing how sustainability can be embedded in engineering education while creating more inclusive spaces where every student can thrive.”

Creating MAKERS Spaces

Building on this success, Creating MAKERS Spaces offers a practical guide for other higher and further education institutions to establish their own programmes. The toolkit provides step-by-step advice on:

  • Setting up sustainability and repair projects
  • Designing inclusive learning environments
  • Building meaningful community partnerships
  • Measuring impact and sharing best practice

The aim is to help universities enrich student experience strategies by embedding repair cafés and community workshops, while also supporting wider goals in employability, inclusion, and climate action.

“We’ve seen first-hand the difference it makes when students come together to learn practical skills and connect with their communities,” said Kat Corbett, Project Coordinator for MAKERS. “This guide is about sharing that experience so other institutions can create their own spaces for belonging, sustainability, and hands-on learning.”

Repair in the Community: The Bristol Repair Coalition

MAKERS also coordinates the Bristol Repair Coalition, a city-wide alliance of community groups, social enterprises, universities, and local government. Launched in 2024, with the Repair Acts team, the Coalition supports grassroots repair activity, works with Bristol City Council on integrating repair into waste strategy, and is exploring a Circular Economy Demonstrator for the city. This hub would bring together repair, reuse, and refurbishment to create jobs, training, and a stronger circular economy.

The Coalition has also developed the Bristol Repair, Share and Reuse map, a public tool highlighting cafés, enterprises, and services across the city – making it easier for residents to find repair opportunities and get involved.

Looking Ahead

The launch of the How to Create MAKERS guide marks an important milestone in embedding repair and making in higher education. It is both a practical toolkit and a call to action: to reimagine engineering education as inclusive, hands-on, and connected to the pressing challenges of sustainability.

The legacy of MAKERS lies in producing graduates who are not only technically skilled, but also confident, collaborative, and committed to building a more sustainable future.

You can follow progress on the Engineering Our Future blog or join us at one of our monthly Repair Cafés at UWE Bristol’s Frenchay Campus.

Internship Reflection: Finding Purpose Beyond the Pay | CATE’s internship scheme

Author engineering | Posted on

By Nicolle Hanselmann

I was lucky to be accepted into the School of Engineering’s summer internship programme. While everyone knows students are often broke (yes, money does help), my motivation came from somewhere deeper.

A little background before I dive into my experience.

I’m a mature student studying Mechatronics, about to begin my third year on an Integrated Master’s degree. Excited, and maybe a bit scared, I chose this path to save time, which meant skipping the usual placement year that helps students stand out after graduation. Placements can often be the golden ticket during interviews, but for me, internships became the bridge, the opportunity to gain experience, build confidence, and see where I might belong.

So, what was the experience like?
And would I recommend it to other students?
The answer is: Absolutely, yes, without a doubt.

What I Did

The variety of things I got involved in was incredible, and to be honest, fun. And how many people can say that about work?

My very first task was helping at the Cheltenham Science Festival, where we welcomed families, schools, and curious minds from all walks of life. It was my first real taste of making science accessible and enjoyable. I found myself explaining technical ideas in simple, playful ways, testing not just my knowledge, but my ability to connect.

We had children (and enthusiastic adults!) building wind turbines out of cardboard. Some people had never done anything like it before, and that meant a lot to me, because I am “some people.”

Other events I supported included:

  • Festival of Nature, Bristol: I greeted passersby, encouraged them to join in, and helped run our “Find the Sustainable Job Posters” activity (which came with well-earned stickers!)
  • UWE Family Fun Day: Welcoming families, helping with activities, and watching kids light up as they explored the engineering building
  • Women Like Me Mentoring Scheme: A mentor–mentee programme where I had the chance to share thoughts and be part of conversations that matter.
  • Leaders Awards Day: A celebration of creativity and potential young minds, and I got to be part of the team behind it
  • Unlock Cyber Taster Day
  • And, of course, the behind-the-scenes stuff, setting up, packing down, and tidying. Because every job, big or small, matters.

New Skills and Unexpected Growth

One of the highlights for me was blogging for the School of Engineering, with my reflection featured on the official UWE Engineering Blog:

Engineering Family Fun Day – A Celebration of Curiosity, Creativity, and Community | Engineering Our Future

I also found myself developing science communication skills in ways I never expected. No, I wasn’t giving formal speeches, but I was constantly talking to people, answering questions, guiding activities, and breaking things down in real time. That kind of spontaneous, human-centred interaction is public speaking, just more personal, more alive.

I learned how to tailor conversations depending on who I was talking to. A five-year-old? A retired engineer? A curious parent? Every moment taught me something.

These are the skills I’ll carry forward, not just in my studies, but in life.

A Heartfelt Thank You

This internship showed me a new side of engineering, not just circuits and code, but people, purpose, and passion. I got to work with some of the most down-to-earth, inspiring science communicators I’ve ever met. They believed in me, supported me, and gave me the space to show up as myself.

To brag a little (because sometimes it’s important!), here’s what Elaine Brown MBE, one of the staff I worked with, wrote to my supervisor Sarah Behenna, after the Unlock Cyber Taster Day:

“Just wanted to say thank you for introducing Nicolle, who was an absolute superstar. She was my go-to meet and greet person, welcoming all the schools as they entered the building. I don’t know how many steps she took during the day, but she made sure everything ran smoothly.”

A reminder that it’s not just about what you do, it’s about how you show up.

Final Thoughts

I now proudly include this on my CV:

Outreach and Engagement Intern – UWE School of Engineering
 May–July 2025

  • Delivered interactive STEM activities at public events and festivals
  • Contributed a published blog to the UWE Engineering site
  • Supported event planning, coordination, and inclusive engagement
  • Gained hands-on skills in science communication and team collaboration

If you ever have such an opportunity, take it. It might just be the thing that connects the dots in your journey, shows you what you’re capable of, and reminds you why you chose this path in the first place.

Future Ambition Fair brings skills, support and opportunity to Lawrence Weston

Author katcorbett | Posted on

On Tuesday 15 July, UWE Bristol’s Inspire Sustainability Team partnered with Ambition Lawrence Weston to deliver the Future Ambition Fair – a community event designed to connect local residents with employment, training, and support opportunities.

Held at Ambition Lawrence Weston’s community hub, the fair brought together a wide range of local organisations offering advice on jobs, apprenticeships, further education and green career pathways. The event aimed to create a welcoming, practical space for people of all ages and backgrounds to explore their next steps.

A group of year 10 students learning about retrofitting with the Green Register and their Retrofit Trailer

Practical Help in a Friendly Setting

Attendees had the opportunity to speak directly with stallholders from local colleges, employers, and support organisations, as well as access free, hands-on support including:

  • CV writing and interview preparation
  • Free professional LinkedIn portraits
  • Information about local training and job opportunities
  • Family-friendly activities and free food throughout the day

The fair also welcomed a group of Year 10 students from St Bede’s Catholic College, who engaged with stallholders and took part in career conversations as part of their wider career development learning.

Participating organisations included Bristol City Council – Employment, Skills and Learning, Babbasa, Severnnet, Bristol Energy Network, Youth Environmental Service (YES), The Green Register, Bristol Waste, Wheels to Work, and others. UWE Bristol’s own Degree Apprenticeships and School of Health and Social Wellbeing teams were also present to share information on pathways into healthcare and work-based learning.

Strengthening Local Collaboration

Stallholders and attendees alike emphasised the value of personal conversations and being able to explore opportunities in a supportive environment. Many of the organisations involved highlighted the importance of showing up in community spaces, especially where access to careers support and higher education can be limited.

UWE Bristol’s Inspire Sustainability Team, which leads projects focused on inclusive, community-led climate action and sustainable futures, organised the event as part of its work to connect green and healthy futures with real-world skills and employment pathways.

“We’re really pleased with how the event came together,” said Laura Fogg-Rogers, who leads on UWE Bristol’s Inspire Sustainability Team. “It was about creating a space where people could explore ideas without pressure – and where support felt genuinely accessible.”

Ambition Lawrence Weston, a long-standing community-led regeneration organisation, played a key role in shaping and promoting the event locally.

Looking Ahead

The Future Ambition Fair follows a successful similar event held in St Pauls earlier this year, and forms part of a growing programme of community-based career events co-organised by UWE Bristol and neighbourhood partners.

Plans are now in development for future events that build on these partnerships and continue to support residents in discovering new pathways into meaningful, sustainable work.

Shaping a circular future: UWE Bristol hosts collaborative workshop on new demonstrator project

Author katcorbett | Posted on

On Thursday 17 July, UWE Bristol’s School of Engineering and the Bristol Repair Coalition brought together more than 30 representatives from across the region for a dynamic workshop to co-design a new Circular Economy Demonstrator for Bristol.

Held at the Bristol Business School, the event convened participants from local authorities, community organisations, academia, industry, and the voluntary sector, all with a shared interest in building practical, community-driven solutions to reduce waste and support more sustainable use of resources.

The session was facilitated by Dr Laura Fogg-Rogers (UWE Bristol), Mark Jacobs (Environmental Scientist, Innovator, and Producer), and opened with a scene-setting address from Ken Lawson, Head of Waste, Recycling, Neighbourhood Enforcement and Street Scene Services at Bristol City Council.

What is a Circular Economy Demonstrator?

A Circular Economy Demonstrator is a dedicated, collaborative space where services like repair, reuse, refurbishment, and resource-sharing can be brought together and trialled at scale. Demonstrators act as real-world test beds – practical, visible models that help communities and organisations explore new ways of working while generating evidence, jobs, skills, and engagement.

Inspired by projects such as Manchester’s Renew Hub and Berlin’s NochMall, the proposed demonstrator for Bristol would support not only environmental goals but also skills development, social enterprise, and economic inclusion.

Energy, Ideas, and Collaboration

The workshop created space for lively, creative conversation around the opportunities and challenges involved in establishing such a site. Participants reflected on questions of scale, location, logistics, funding, and governance – as well as how to ensure the project remains inclusive, achievable, and rooted in Bristol’s existing reuse and repair networks.

Key themes from the session included:

  • Green jobs and skills: The demonstrator could serve as a training hub for emerging circular economy skills and support pathways into employment.
  • A just transition: By centring community participation and social value, the project has the potential to support inclusive, local economic development.
  • Net zero goals: Reducing waste and increasing reuse are critical elements of Bristol’s wider climate strategy, with the demonstrator offering a practical route to carbon reduction.
  • Enterprise and innovation: There was a strong call to develop income-generating activities to support long-term viability and reduce dependency on public sector funding.

Looking Ahead

Over the summer, the organisers will review all of the contributions and insights gathered during the workshop, with a view to sharing outcomes and proposed next steps in the autumn. A key focus will be refining the project’s value proposition, testing assumptions about demand, and strengthening cross-sector partnerships.

The School of Engineering would like to thank everyone who attended and contributed to this important conversation. Together, we are building momentum toward a more sustainable, equitable, and resilient future for the city.

For more information on how to get involved, email kat.corbett@uwe.ac.uk.

UWE Engineering at Cheltenham Science Festival

Author joshuawarren | Posted on

This year’s Cheltenham Science Festival was again attended by UWE’s Inspire Sustainability team, providing an exciting STEM activity for the thousands of school children that came along. The team had an activity stand in the festival’s ‘Discover Zone’, along with other festival partners bringing STEM to life.

The team brought their popular ‘Power our Future’ activity, which invites children to become engineers to design and build the best wind turbine blades, generating the most clean energy! The teams must consider the shape, size, angle, and material of their blade design, as well as choosing how many to build! Then test their designs on the real wind turbine, and generate as much energy as possible.

The activity is designed to encourage children to think like an engineer and follow the ‘engineering design process’, whilst also bringing together some key learning around sustainability and how we as a society need to move faster towards renewable energy sources like wind.

The week was a great success with thousands of children making their way through the festival’s ‘Discover Zone’ over six very busy days. The UWE stand saw a lot of interest and every team had their team name and score placed on the leaderboard! We particularly loved the creativity with team names, and congratulations to team ‘Pancake Grandpa’ that ended up winning the week with a score of over 11 volts!

The team and the stand at Cheltenham was also supported by the IMechE, you can find more information about them here.

You can also find information about the workshops and outreach that the Inspire Sustainability team provide by visiting the curiosityconnections.net site, or by emailing the team on engineeringourfuture@uwe.ac.uk.

UWE Bristol’s MAKERS Project at the Parliamentary Repair Café

Author engineering | Posted on

Last week, Kat Corbett, Coordinator of the School of Engineering’s MAKERS Project and Repair Cafe, was among a select group of community repair leaders invited to take part in a unique event inside the Houses of Parliament.

Kat was one of 20 representatives from repair cafés across the UK who supported a Parliamentary Repair Café hosted by The Restart Project. The event aimed to spotlight the growing movement for repair and reuse, demonstrating to MPs the value of local initiatives that tackle e-waste, reduce carbon emissions, and build community through hands-on problem-solving.

UWE Bristol Repair Cafe Coordinator Kat Corbett at the Parliamentary Repair Cafe – credit Mark A Phillips under the Creative Commons CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 – Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International license

For the past two years, Kat has organised monthly repair cafés within the School of Engineering, where students, staff, and members of the public are invited to bring in broken items and learn how to fix them. These sessions have become an important part of the School’s commitment to sustainability and skills development, aligning with broader university efforts to promote circular economy thinking.

The event attracted 32 MPs, with a further four represented by staff members, many of whom had been encouraged to attend by constituents. As well as getting involved in practical repair, attendees learned about policy changes needed to make repair more accessible and affordable across the UK.

A highlight of the day was a speech from Mary Creagh CBE MP, Minister for Nature and chair of the government’s Circular Economy Taskforce. She arrived dressed in repaired clothing and spoke passionately about her commitment to developing a roadmap for circular electricals by next spring.

Also speaking at the event was broadcaster Jeremy Vine, who shared his personal frustrations with trying to repair a Segway that was barely three years old. His story resonated with the repair community present, many of whom felt confident it could be fixed. One attendee from a refurbishment company even offered to take on the challenge.

Jeremy Vine and his broken Segway – credit Mark A Phillips under the Creative Commons CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 – Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International license

Kat was particularly inspired by conversations with other repair pioneers, including representatives from Manchester’s Renew Hub, an ambitious reuse initiative supported by SUEZ. She even left with one of their upcycled bags made from scrap upholstery fabric.

Reflecting on the experience, Kat said:
“It was an honour to represent UWE Bristol and the MAKERS project at such a prestigious and meaningful event. The energy in the room was incredible, and it’s encouraging to see the appetite for change at a political level. I’m hopeful that this marks another step towards a more sustainable, repair-friendly future.”

Repairers being done at the Parliamentary Repair Cafe – credit Mark A Phillips under the Creative Commons CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 – Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International license

The Restart Project used the event to promote its Repair & Reuse Declaration, which outlines specific policy recommendations, including expanding the UK’s Right to Repair, introducing a repair index, and supporting the next generation of repairers. To date, the declaration has been signed by over 400 organisations and 64 MPs.

UWE Bristol’s MAKERS project, which was funded by the Royal Academy of Engineering’s Diversity Impact Programme, continues to embed practical sustainability into engineering education and community outreach. Building on the success of the project, the team behind it is currently working on the Creating MAKERS Spaces initiative, as part of which they will develop a guide and toolkit to help other higher and further education institutions implement similar programmes.

Looking Back at the Green and Healthy Futures Fair: A Day of Opportunity, Learning and Community

Author katcorbett | Posted on

On Monday 19 May, the Green and Healthy Futures Fair brought new energy to the heart of St Pauls as residents from across Bristol gathered at the St Pauls Learning Centre for an afternoon of inspiration, connection, and practical support. Running from 1pm, the event created a welcoming space for people of all ages and stages to explore pathways towards greener and fairer futures.

Organised by UWE Bristol’s Inspire Sustainability Team and Bridging Histories, the Fair exemplified community partnership in action — a collaboration grounded in shared purpose and local voices.

A Celebration of Skills, Support and Shared Futures

With over a dozen local organisations in attendance, the Fair offered access to free workshops, advice services, job opportunities, and community initiatives — all under one roof. Visitors engaged with representatives from organisations including Babbasa, Youth Environmental Service, City of Bristol College, Employment, Skills and Learning (Bristol City Council), Life 2020, Wheels 2 Work, Centre for Sustainable Energy,bFare Share, Alibsa, UWE Bristol’s Degree Apprenticeship Hub, and more.

We were also pleased to welcome Bristol Energy Cooperative, who brought along an engaging, interactive display on community-led energy initiatives — sparking conversations around sustainable living and local climate action.

Uplifting Sessions and Student Involvement

One of the standout moments of the day was welcoming a group of ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) students from City of Bristol College, who actively participated in two key sessions:

  • A CV writing workshop led by the Babbasa Trailblazer programme, offering young people the tools and confidence to tell their story effectively on paper.
  • An interview workshop run by Xavier Baker, UWE Bristol’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Business Partner, who shared expert insights into professional interview techniques and mindset-building.

These workshops provided a safe and supportive environment for learners to develop essential employability skills — and were met with enthusiasm and appreciation from all involved.

Participants also had the opportunity to have a professional photo taken for their LinkedIn profile to help enhance their employability.

Making Connections and Sharing a Meal

As the afternoon rolled on, Glen’s Kitchen served up delicious hot meals, creating a space for conversation and connection over shared food. Whether catching up with friends, meeting local employers, or learning something new, attendees found countless ways to get involved and feel part of the community.

Free tech support from FixMyTek was also popular, with attendees bringing in their personal devices for one-to-one help and digital advice.

What’s Next?

We’re delighted to announce that a follow-up event will be taking place this summer:

Lawrence Weston Green and Healthy Futures Fair
Monday 15 July 2025, 1:00pm – 6:00pm
Ambition House, 2 Stile Acres Lawrence Weston BS11 0PZ

This will be another opportunity to explore job and training options, access free workshops, and connect with local services and green initiatives.

Reserve your free ticket and find full details here:
Lawrence Weston Green and Healthy Futures Fair – Eventbrite

Bristol Repair Coalition: building a city-wide culture of repair and reuse

Author katcorbett | Posted on

The Bristol Repair Coalition is a diverse alliance of community groups, social enterprises, local businesses, academic institutions, and city partners working together to rethink how we use and care for the materials, products, and waste in our city.

Founded in March 2024 through the Repair Acts initiative, the Coalition aims to create a regenerative material culture that prioritises repair, reuse, and resourcefulness — moving beyond simple recycling toward systemic change.

A City-Wide Movement for Regenerative Material Culture

The Coalition brings together a wide range of members, including community organisations, social enterprises, Bristol City Council, Bristol Waste, academic partners from UWE Bristol, Bristol University, and Winchester School of Art, as well as local businesses and repair specialists.

Together, this network collaborates to:

  • Support and connect repair and reuse initiatives across Bristol.
  • Advocate for policies that embed repair and reuse into city planning and waste management.
  • Build skills and capacity for sustainable repair in communities.
  • Foster an inclusive, participatory approach rooted in design justice.

Moving Repair and Reuse to the Forefront

While recycling remains an important part of waste management, repair and reuse offer a more impactful way to extend product lifespans, reduce emissions, and strengthen local economies. The Coalition is committed to making repair and reuse accessible, visible, and valued across Bristol.

This approach is timely given rising waste treatment costs driven by new government regulations, alongside ongoing social challenges such as the cost-of-living crisis. Repair and reuse initiatives not only reduce waste but also help people save money and build community resilience.

Partnering with Bristol City Council

The Coalition recently engaged with Bristol City Council to align efforts with the Council’s new Waste Strategy. Both parties see potential in embedding repair and reuse more deeply into future waste contracts and city-wide policies.

Bristol Waste Company’s reuse shops have already made a significant impact by diverting thousands of items from disposal, keeping valuable materials in circulation and reducing landfill. Beyond environmental benefits, these shops provide affordable goods to local residents, helping to ease the cost-of-living pressures faced by many in Bristol.

There is strong potential to expand reuse and repair facilities and services across the city. The Coalition is keen to work with its partners to explore how existing successes can be built upon, creating a more robust circular economy that delivers lasting environmental and social benefits.

Exploring a Circular Economy Demonstrator

Inspired by successful initiatives like the Manchester Renew Hub, Berlin’s Nochmall, and ReTuna in Eskilstuna (Sweden), the Coalition is developing plans for a Bristol Circular Economy Demonstrator — a space to refurbish, repair, and resell furniture, electronics, and bicycles, and more, while creating jobs and training opportunities.

This demonstrator aims to support green skills development, provide affordable goods, and reduce emissions by keeping materials in use longer. A workshop is scheduled for July 2025 to help define its scope and build stakeholder support.

Mapping Bristol’s Repair Ecosystem

To highlight the city’s existing repair and reuse activities, the Coalition has created a public map showcasing community repair cafés, specialist services, social enterprises, and training opportunities throughout Bristol.

This resource helps identify gaps and opportunities for growth and collaboration.

Explore the Bristol Repair Map

Looking Forward

The Bristol Repair Coalition is committed to ongoing collaboration to strengthen repair and reuse across the city. By working together—across sectors, communities, and disciplines—the Coalition seeks to build a more sustainable, equitable, and resilient Bristol.

For more information or to get involved, please contact kat.corbett@uwe.ac.uk.

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