Over the past five years, Repair Cafe Wales has achieved remarkable milestones, driven by a simple but powerful mission: reducing waste and fostering community through repair. We’ve completed over21,000 repairs, supported 137 repair cafés, engaged over 1,000 volunteers, and diverted significant waste from landfill—all while building a movement that championsrepairandreuse.
Beyond the numbers, what makes me proudest is the sense of community that Repair Cafe Wales has fostered. Repair cafés are about more than mending things - they’re about building connections. People from all walks of life come together, share stories, and work side by side. Whether you’re someoneinneedofarepair,avolunteersharingyourskills,orasupporterof thecause,yourcontributionhasbeeninvaluable.
Aswecelebratetheseaccomplishments,welookaheadwithdetermination We aim to expand our reach even further, engaging new communities, growing our volunteer base, and exploring new partnerships that will allow us to continue making a difference in Wales and beyond. We are also committed to continuing our advocacy for policy changes that support the “righttorepair”movement,ensuringthatindividualsandcommunitieshave theknowledgeandresourcestomakesustainablechoices.
To every person who has been part of this journey whether you’ve volunteered, donated, visited one of our repair cafés, or supported us from
PhoebeBrown Director
RepairCafes area phenomenon ofWales
Volunteers are at the heart of the community repair movement and crucial to the success of a repair café and our organisation. Across our network, volunteers share skills, learn, and connect in a space focused on sustainability and empowerment.
Motivated by reducing waste and challenging throwaway culture, they help extend product life and foster a resilient, self-sustaining local economy. Beyond fixing items, friendships are made, loneliness is reduced, and mental wellbeingisimproved.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAcJYtcL32k
Our annual volunteer survey always provides valuable insights that allow us to better understand who our volunteers are and ensure we hear all their views – after all, they are our expert eyesandearsontheground!
According to our volunteers, volunteering at a repair café has hadthebiggestpositiveimpactontheir:
Repair Café Wales drives policy change in Wales by promotingrepairandsustainabilityandsupportinggoalslike the Well-being of Future Generations Act. RCW's community repairnetworkreduceswaste,extendsproductlifespans,and bolsters the circular economy. Collaborating with organisations across the UK, RCW advocates for repairfriendly policies, investment in infrastructure, and public awarenessaboutconsumerism'senvironmentalimpact.
RCW's efforts influence policies prioritising reuse and resource efficiency, advancing Wales toward a zero-waste future. RCW fills gaps in repair services for small household items,preventingunnecessarywastebyprovidingaccessible repairsolutions.
Reducing waste is central to our repair cafés' mission of sustainability and responsible consumption. By repairing and reusing items, we reduce landfill waste by extending product lifespans and conserve resources by lowering demand for new products, saving energy and materials. We combat throwaway culture by encouraging care and reuse over disposability, lower carbon emissions through reduced manufacturing and waste, and support a circular economy by keeping products in use, minimising environmental impact.
In a world increasingly shaped by consumerism, planned obsolescence, and a throwaway culture, we stand at a critical moment where change is not just necessary it’s urgent. The global environmental crisis, combined with the growing demand for sustainable living, calls for bold initiatives that empower individuals to reclaim their role in the lifecycle of the products theyuse.Attheheartofthismovementistheconceptofrepair,a simple yet profound act that challenges the status quo of disposability. Repairing is not just about fixing objects; it’s about fostering a mindset that values sustainability, self-reliance, and community.
Our first goal is to open and support more repair cafés, providing greater access to these crucial spaces where people can learn, teach, and act. By increasing the number of repair cafés, we can ensure that more communities across Wales have the resources to fix instead of throw away.
Engaging young people in the repair café movement inspires a lifelong commitment to sustainability and problem-solving. With mentorship and hands-on experiences, we empower them to lead the right-to-repair movement, fostering skills, innovation, and responsible consumption to shape a sustainable future.
BehaviourChange
Our third goal is to inspire a mindset shift, making repair the default choice for end-of-life. Through campaigns, outreach, and education, we aim to remove barriers to repair, demonstrating its practicality and environmental impact. We also prioritise equality, diversity, and inclusion, ensuring everyone has access, feels valued, and can thrive in our repair cafés. By breaking down systemic barriers, we foster fairness and empower diverse communities to contribute to a sustainable future.
Our mission champions the right to repair, a global movement to make sure everyone has the right to fix the products they own. We want to see products that are easy and affordable to repair, better access to spare parts, and increased consumer rights.
