From 11 am to 3 pm at the Bircham Centre in Reepham’s Market Place, volunteer “Fixers” will do their best to repair portable items of all kinds, including jewellery, bicycles, bags, clothing, small electrical and electronic devices, woodwork and ceramics.
 
Simple repairs will be free of charge, while for more complex jobs people may have to order their own spare parts.
 
“We’re just a small group of people trying to help our neighbours,” said Charles Butcher, one of the Fixers.
 
“Between us we have the skills to tackle most things, and we hope some of our ‘fixees’ will want to be part of the repair process too.”
 
As well as repairing electrical items, Fixer Ben Hayes will be carrying out free electrical safety checks.
 
“Spring is nearly here,” he said, “so if you’re going to be working in the garden, why not bring in your hedge trimmer or extension cable for us to check over?”
 
The Fixers will return to the Bircham Centre at the same time on the second and fourth Saturday of every month.
 
“If you like to fix stuff yourself, please think about joining us,” said Mr Butcher. “We’re a very small team at the moment, and for this to be sustainable we need everyone’s support.”
 
The group is grateful to Reepham Community Partnership and the Bircham Centre for their support, and to Broadland District Council for a start-up grant.
 
The team will also be encouraging donations to cover the cost of consumable items such as glue.
 
The Fixery taps into a growing movement to reduce waste and save money by keeping items serviceable for longer.
 
The past decade has seen “repair cafés” spring up in the Netherlands, Germany and the UK, while at the political level the “right to repair” movement has had some success in pushing manufacturers to make their products easier to work on.
 
For more information on the Fixery, visit the website, send an email or contact Charles Butcher on 07771 193620. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram.