We’re celebrating another step towards mending our throwaway culture, following a successful month-long event to repair broken household items held in May.
Over 800 volunteers from Devon and across the UK joined forces for the BIG FIX 2023, to help 2242 residents fix their broken belongings and prevent them from going to waste.
The BIG FIX 2023, coordinated by us, saw Repair Cafés up and down the country mending household items and giving them a new lease of life.
Skilled volunteers donate their time and expertise to repair everything from jewellery and clothing to electricals and bicycles.
A total of 83 Repair Cafés took part across the month, successfully fixing 2,761 broken items.
These repairs resulted in an emission saving equivalent to flying nearly 80,000 miles, driving 125,500 miles and showering 3,966 times.
Repair Cafés wouldn’t be able to run without the army of volunteers who give up their time to undertake one of the many varied roles, such as meeting and greeting visitors, repairing, baking cakes and biscuits, making cups of tea and coffee in the café, promoting through social media and websites, and repair café coordinating and organising.
For 2023’s The BIG FIX, 1200 volunteers from across the country gave over 3,500 hours of their time.
Councillor Roger Croad, Chair of the Devon Authorities Strategic Waste Committee, said:,
“Thank you to everyone in Devon and nationally who took part in The BIG FIX 2023.
“Repairing our belongings reduces waste and saves money, and it’s great that Devon is leading the way in coordinating this very worthy event. Repair Cafés help keep items in use for longer, but they also have many other benefits, such as enabling people to share their knowledge, passing skills on to others and bringing the local community together.”
