Newbury MP Lee Dillon joins Newbury and Thatcham Repair Café’s first monthly meet-up of the year

Newbury and Thatcham Repair Café was visited by a special guest at its first meeting of the year at Newbury Methodist Church on Sunday (January 26).

Volunteers were pleased to welcome Newbury MP Lee Dillon to learn more about their work and how valuable their time is to the members of the community in need of a quick – or sometimes not – fix.

After attending the session, Mr Dillon said: “It was great to see the incredible skills and dedication of the team.

“It is a well-run, popular service that saves people money, reduces waste and shows how much can be repaired instead of thrown away.

“Thank you to the fantastic team at the for the warm welcome and the brilliant work you do.”

The dedicated team of handymen will try their hand at fixing anything from lamps to lawnmowers and everything in between.

More than 80 items were brought in for repair to this session, ranging from vacuum cleaners and toasters to clothing and ornaments.

Among the items was a saxophone-playing musical Santa, which was successfully repaired much to its owner’s delight.

Meanwhile, another visitor brought in a food blender, with no power, to be repaired.

Volunteers in particularly wish to thank Electrical Safety First for funding a recent PAT (Portable Appliance Testing) training course for seven volunteers, who are now qualified for PAT testing at events.

An ESF representative presented a cheque to the volunteers, who said they are very grateful for its support.

The ESF is an annual grant scheme committed to reducing injuries and damage caused by electricity.

Newbury and Thatcham Repair Café’s next event will be at Frank Hutchings Hall in Thatcham on February 23 from 10am until 12.30pm.

Last registration is expected to be at noon on the day.