Fixing Revolution Gets a Boost During Repair Week

Residents urged to get their stuff mended rather than throwing it away


Fixers at the Southfields repair cafe. Picture: Wandsworth Council

Participate

Sign up for our weekly Putney newsletter

Comment on this item on the

March 6, 2026

Repair Week returns to London from 3–9 March with a programme of events designed to help people learn how to fix everyday items, cut waste and save money. Wandsworth is taking part with bike-repair sessions, open evenings and community workshops, alongside the borough’s growing network of volunteer-run repair cafés.

The council is encouraging residents to join what it calls a “fixing revolution”, with cabinet member for environment Judi Gasser saying that many items thrown away “only need a minor repair to be as good as new”. She said Repair Week was a chance to learn new skills, meet neighbours and keep usable items out of the waste stream.

Repair cafés have become a regular feature of community life in Wandsworth, with volunteers helping residents fix everything from lamps and radios to clothing and toys. The Putney Repair Café meets on the second Saturday of the month and has built a strong following among residents who prefer to mend rather than replace. The next session is on Saturday 14 March from 10am to noon.

There is no charge for any repairs but donations are welcome towards the upkeep of St Mary's Church which can be made by clicking on this link.

Southfields’ repair café, held at St Barnabas Church, has a similar ethos and regularly attracts people looking for help with small electricals, sewing repairs and household items.

Both groups are run by volunteers with practical skills who offer their time for free, and both have become informal social hubs as well as places to learn.

A Dr Bike session is taking place on Monday 24 March in the rear car park at Queen Mary’s Hospital on Roehampton Lane, offering free safety checks and basic adjustments for anyone who cycles in SW15.

Alongside the Repair Week events, the council is reminding residents that unwanted items in good condition can be donated to the Rework Workshop at Smugglers Way. The workshop repairs furniture, white goods, bicycles, sports equipment, toys and tools before passing them on to charities. The council says this helps reduce waste while supporting families who need affordable household items.

Wandsworth has set a target of becoming a carbon-neutral council by 2030 and says supporting community repair initiatives is part of that effort. The borough has also been awarding climate action microgrants of £100 to £500 to local groups, schools and individuals running sustainability projects, including those that promote repairing, sharing and re-use.


Like Reading Articles Like This? Help Us Produce More

This site remains committed to providing local community news and public interest journalism.

Articles such as the one above are integral to what we do. We aim to feature as much as possible on local societies, charities based in the area, fundraising efforts by residents, community-based initiatives and even helping people find missing pets.

We've always done that and won't be changing, in fact we'd like to do more.

However, the readership that these stories generates is often below that needed to cover the cost of producing them. Our financial resources are limited and the local media environment is intensely competitive so there is a constraint on what we can do.

We are therefore asking our readers to consider offering financial support to these efforts. Any money given will help support community and public interest news and the expansion of our coverage in this area.

A suggested monthly payment is £8 but we would be grateful for any amount for instance if you think this site offers the equivalent value of a subscription to a daily printed newspaper you may wish to consider £20 per month. If neither of these amounts is suitable for you then contact info@neighbournet.com and we can set up an alternative. All payments are made through a secure web site.

One-off donations are also appreciated. Choose The Amount You Wish To Contribute.

If you do support us in this way we'd be interested to hear what kind of articles you would like to see more of on the site – send your suggestions to the editor.

For businesses we offer the chance to be a corporate sponsor of community content on the site. For £30 plus VAT per month you will be the designated sponsor of at least one article a month with your logo appearing if supplied. If there is a specific community group or initiative you'd like to support we can make sure your sponsorship is featured on related content for a one off payment of £50 plus VAT. All payments are made through a secure web site.