Baughurst Repair Café celebrates first birthday

A repair café has reached its first significant milestone.

Baughurst Repair Café marked its first birthday on Friday (August 9) since opening in 2023.

It will be celebrating with volunteers and invited guests on Sunday (August 18), when former Mayor of Basingstoke and Deane, David Leeks — who officially opened the café — will be presenting each volunteer with a certificate of appreciation.

Hampshire County Council, Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, Baughurst Parish Council, Helping Hands and Lodden Valley Lions will also be attending the celebration.

The café was officially opened by Mr Leeks, and held its first event on November 19, 2023.

And it will have successfully run nine events by August 18.

More than 770 people have attended the café, and its team of around 30 volunteers at each event have repaired nearly 500 items — preventing 1,500 kilograms of waste going to landfill.

The Repair Café runs on the third Sunday of the month (except December) from 10am till 1pm at Heath End Village Hall in Baughurst.

Its volunteers will try to repair items ranging from garden shears, gaming equipment, teddy bears, jumpers, to toasters, printers and laptops.

With donations from customers, the café is now able to meet its monthly running costs, invest in repair tools and develop its volunteers in learning new skills.