Repair Café Returns to St. Mary’s This Saturday
A chance to restore household items rather than sending them to landfill
The repair cafe at St. Mary's. Picture: Facebook/ Putney Society
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July 10, 2026
St Mary’s Church will open its doors this weekend for its latest Repair Café, offering residents a chance to give tired household items a new lease of life rather than sending them to landfill. The session takes place on Saturday 11 July from 10am to noon, with no booking required — anyone can simply drop in with an item in need of attention.
The Repair Café is part of a growing movement encouraging people to reduce waste, reuse materials and rethink what gets thrown away. Organisers say many everyday objects are discarded not because they are beyond saving, but because people lack the skills or confidence to attempt a repair. The café aims to bridge that gap by pairing visitors with volunteers who have the know-how to fix things that might otherwise end up at the tip.
St Mary’s has assembled a team of skilled helpers covering a range of common household repairs. Small electrical items can be assessed and, where possible, brought back to life. Minor carpentry jobs — the sort that require a steady hand and a few well-placed tools — can also be tackled. For textiles, a talented sewing team is on hand to mend clothing, repair seams or help with other fabric fixes.
The atmosphere is intentionally informal: people arrive with their items, chat with volunteers, learn a little about the repair process and often leave with something restored and usable again. The organisers emphasise that the café is not a commercial service but a community initiative built on shared skills and sustainability.
While the event is free, St Mary’s welcomes donations to support the upkeep of the church. Contributions can be made online through the parish’s donation page.
For residents keen to cut waste, save money or simply keep a favourite item in use, Saturday’s Repair Café offers a practical and friendly way to do just that — and to be part of a local effort to repair rather than replace.
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