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New community-run initiative with skilled volunteers offering repairs to clothing, jewellery, electronics, toys and more.
Leigh Curtis
A new community-run repair cafe staffed by skilled volunteers is holding its first session on 21 February 2026 at St Thomas Church Hall in Cowick Street.
St Thomas Repair Café will offer drop-in repairs to clothing, jewellery, small electrical items, bric-a-brac, toys and small pieces of furniture.
There will also be tea, coffee and home-baked goods available.
The first repair cafés were held in Amsterdam in 2009, with the launch of the Repair Café Foundation the following year. They aim to reduce waste, overconsumption and planned obsolescence.
St Thomas Repair Café is co-ordinated by Love St Thomas CIC, a volunteer-run community initiative which aims to help local projects thrive for public benefit rather than private profit.
It organises community events including a disco, talks and the Love St Thomas Festival, which is to take place again in July following a first successful event last year.
Love St Thomas CIC also publishes West of the River, a print magazine distributed free to local households in St Thomas and elsewhere to the west of the River Exe.
St Thomas Repair Café takes place from 10am on Saturday 21 February 2026 at St Thomas Church Hall in Cowick Street.
It then continues on the third Saturday of the month on 21 March, 18 April, 16 May and 20 June.
Repairs and refreshments are available by donation
For more information visit the St Thomas Repair Café website.
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