New Repair Cafe launched in Fort William.

Lochaber Environmental Group (LEG), part of the Highland Community Waste Partnership (HCWP), was impressed by the impact the Transition Black Isle Repair Café was having in the Black Isle area and aspired to provide a similar service in the Lochaber.

Working with The Workshop Studios at Lochaber Hope, LEG were able to secure a community learning exchange visit with the Cairngorm Repair Café and RecyKillin and Reuse Shop. This inspired them to then look at developing a repair café for Fort William with the intention of being able to share this knowledge with other individuals and community groups.

The Fort William Men’s shed are also supporting the project, and everyone involved hopes that it will prove to be a success and help people learn how to repair small household items whilst working alongside volunteers.

The aim is to have a fun, welcoming and practical learning environment where people can bring small household items and learn how to repair them on the day.

The first Fort William Repair Cafe will be held at New Connections, Waverley House, Fort William PH33 6FH on Saturday 7 October 12-3 PM.

There will be a number of volunteers who will be on hand to repair household items, with some of the Cairngorm Repair Café volunteers coming across to help out too.

Please note that items must be easily transportable (no white-goods please) – "if you can’t carry it, we can’t repair it!"

There will be repairers available on the day to look at:

• Guitar re-stringing or other simple musical instrument repairs
• Simple textile repairs and visible mending e.g. jeans, bags, shirts
• Bicycle checks and advice
• Small electrical items e.g. lamps, kettles, vacuum cleaners
• Small mechanical and woodwork repairs e.g. toys, ornaments, small furniture
• An advice station for you to ask questions about other things you may want to do

Please bring any obvious spare parts with you. e.g. if your vacuum needs a new brush, bring the brush and vacuum and we can try to fit it. This isn’t a charged event but donations are welcome to make it a sustainable activity.

If the Repair Cafe can't fix your item then it is hoped volunteers will be able to refer you to another organisation who can.

Feel free to grab a cuppa, cake and chat while you wait at the pay-what-you-can Vintage Café.

Lesley Hawkins, HCWP Project Officer from LEG said, "Come along and learn how to make simple fixes to household items. This will also help us reduce waste going to landfill".