The Repair Cafe takes place at the Sea Trust end of Ocean Lab on Goodwick Parrog

The Garment Repair Cafe runs every 1st & 3rd Friday of the month from 10.30am to 2pm.

Stitch In Time – Garment Repair Tuition runs every 2nd, 4th (& 5th) Friday of the month.

Clothes that are loved will last longer, so come & learn how to repair your favourite garments. This friendly service is currently offered at Sea Trust in the Ocean Lab by TBG on Fridays from 10.30-2pm. If you’ve always wanted to learn how to repair a zip, shorten a dress or sew a button on then this is the place to be!

Sashiko Repair

Sewing & repairing can be fun & tuition on simple techniques is available on a one-to-one basis. We not only cover invisible mending & but also visible repair such as ‘Sashiko’ to give your clothes a unique look!

We also offer use of our sewing machines if you fancy a go! Booking is essential & this can be done by contacting either Moya on 07766 63456 or Jo on 07525 535611. We look forward to seeing you!

This is a free service and donations are welcome.

Testimonial from Anne who Learned To Repair

“I came across the Repair Café in Goodwick whilst convalescing from a serious debilitating illness. I took along a kimono that I bought several years ago from an antique shop, which was in rather a sad state and required repairs to both the structure and the embroidery.
I have since been repairing this with the support and advice from Jo at the Repair Café. I had never before embarked on such a task but was supported to ‘give it a go’ and now have almost completed the repairs to the embroidery. When this is completed I will move on to try (with assistance) to repair the seams and lining.
I have found the work that I have done so far to be satisfying and enjoyable. I am pleased with my success on a practical level having mastered new skills, which feels like an achievement.”
Anne continues,“… In addition and in some ways more importantly, I have felt a sense of calm and almost meditation as I have worked, which has been very beneficial and emotionally therapeutic.Once completed, I shall certainly seek out another similar project to undertake with the help of Jo and others at the Repair Café.”
kimono
  • This is a free service and donations are welcome
  • You are expected to stay while the repair is carried out in order to see how it’s done and to pick up new skills.
  • If the repair proves to be more complicated and is taking longer than originally assessed, the volunteer may offer to continue the repair outside of the Repair Cafe hours, but this is at their discretion.
  • You should bring only ONE item, if you want more items or larger repairs/alterations carried out, our volunteers may agree to do this for a fee. Or we may be able to point you in the direction of someone else who could do that for you.

Please read the full Repair Cafe House Rules below.

HOUSE RULES / DISCLAIMER

  1. All repairs carried out at the Repair Cafe (RC) are performed at the visitor’s own risk. The advice and repair service is conducted by volunteers and there is no charge but donations are welcome to cover costs including the purchase of tools and equipment and the development of the service.
  2. All visitors are required to complete and sign the Repair Form for record keeping purposes before any repairs can be contemplated.
  3. Visitors are expected to remain with the volunteer(s) while the repair is being carried out in order to see how the repair is being done and to pick up new skills. Items should not be left with the volunteer(s) and collected at a later time but where the repair itself makes this necessary neither the organisers / leaders of the Repair Cafe, Repair Cafe Wales as an organisation nor the volunteer(s) can assume any responsibility for safe-keeping.
  4. The fact that the repairs are being undertaken by unpaid volunteers reflects the allocation of risks and limitation of liability: neither the organisers / leaders of the Repair Cafe, Repair Cafe Wales as an organisation nor the volunteer(s) are liable for any loss that may result from advice or instructions concerning repairs, for the loss of items handed over for repair, for indirect or consequential loss or for any other kind of loss resulting from work performed in the Repair Cafe. The limitations set forth in these house rules shall not apply to claims declared justified on the basis of liability arising by virtue of applicable consumer protection legislation which cannot be lawfully superseded.
  5. Any use of new materials such as leads, plugs, fuses, zips, etc. will be paid for separately by the visitor. Any work initiated in the Repair Cafe but continued outside of the Repair Cafe’s hours is completely at the discretion of the volunteer(s) and the agreement they make with the visitor.
  6. The Repair Cafe, Repair Cafe Wales as an organisation and the volunteer(s) offer no guarantee for any repairs carried out with or without their help and are not liable if any repaired items do not work properly at home or break down again in the future.
  7. The Repair Cafe, Repair Cafe Wales as an organisation and the volunteer(s) take no responsibility in any form whatsoever for any item, repaired or otherwise, once it has left the premises where the Repair Cafe session is taking place.
  8. Volunteers are entitled to refuse to repair certain objects and are not obliged to reassemble disassembled appliances that cannot be repaired.
  9. Visitors to the Repair Cafe are solely responsible for the tidy removal of broken objects that could not be repaired.
  10. Neither the organisers / leaders of the Repair Cafe, Repair Cafe Wales as an organisation nor the volunteer(s) in personal capacities or otherwise are liable for any accidental damage that may occur to either visitors’ goods (including vehicles) or personal effects during visitors’ time at the sessions.
  11. To avoid unnecessary waiting times during busy periods, a maximum of ONE item per person will be examined. Should time allow, extra items may be considered for examination and assessment.
  12. Visitors to the Repair Cafe are responsible for ensuring their electrical items have been PAT tested by a qualified individual at the Repair Cafe.
  13. PLEASE NOTE: Dangerous tools and equipment are present and sometimes used in repairs. Parents must exercise control over, and be responsible for, the behaviour of their children whilst attending the Repair Cafe.

What we do and don’t do:

We are a group of enthusiastic amateurs who want to reduce landfill and share our fixing skills. We are not a repair shop, so we appreciate it if we can show you how to fix your item or even get you to do it while we advise! We,

  • Need to have time to repair your item. If you arrive within an hour of us closing we may have to decline the repair.
  • Need to keep our volunteers safe. So if something is dangerous or dirty, we may decline to repair it.