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.