Repair Cafe Sawbridgeworth

31/10/2026

You never quite know what might come through our doors. At our last event, Repairer Dave was asked to sharpen a rather unusual item – a scythe.

With the tool in hand, he was looking every bit the Grim Reaper. We thought it was too good an opportunity to miss, so here he is in all his spooky glory! 💀

If you have any Halloween decorations that haven't survived the festivities, why not bring them along to our next repair café on Saturday 21st November? We'll see if we can bring them back to life in time for next year! 🎃

We'll be sharing full details of our November event soon, so keep an eye out for our upcoming posts.

23/10/2026

Great news 👏

The sealed-in battery era is ending. Europe is pushing phone makers to make batteries easier to replace and built to last longer.

Starting in 2027, mobile phones sold in the EU will generally need batteries that consumers can remove and replace more easily, without requiring proprietary tools or complicated repair methods.

The rules also require replacement batteries to remain available for at least 5 years after a phone model is no longer sold.

And durability standards are getting tougher too. Smartphones sold in the EU must generally retain at least 80% of their original battery capacity after 800 full charge cycles.

The goal is straightforward: make phones last longer, make repairs easier, reduce unnecessary upgrades, and cut down on electronic waste.

For years, many smartphones have been built with sealed-in batteries that can be difficult or expensive to replace. Europe is now pushing the industry in the opposite direction.

Starting in 2027, Europe will require phones to have easier-to-replace, longer-lasting batteries to help devices stay useful for longer. Would you support this where you live?

17/10/2026

🌍 Let's make repair the easy choice.

We've celebrated what repair can do for our belongings, our wallets and our communities. But what if getting something repaired was easier and more affordable for everyone?

This International Repair Day, the group 'We Are Repairs' is launching a national campaign calling on the government to recognise and support repair as an essential part of the UK's net zero and circular economy ambitions. Repair cafés, repair businesses and DIY repair skills all have a vital role to play in helping us keep things in use for longer.

📣 You can help! Read the open letter to the Prime Minister and sign the petition to show your support: https://www.change.org/RepairMatters

It's encouraging to see this issue getting support locally, too. Back in May 2025, our local MP Josh Dean visited us and signed The Restart Project’s Repair and Reuse Declaration, showing his support for making it easier for everyone to repair and reuse the products we use every day.

Community repair cafés can make a real difference, but wider changes are needed too.

On this 10th International Repair Day, let's celebrate the fixers, support our local repair cafés and keep making the case for a world where repairing is the norm, not the exception.

17/10/2026

🧵🔌 Repair is about more than fixing things!

The theme of this year's International Repair Day is Repair Brings Us Together, which is something we feel strongly about at our repair café.

Our volunteer repairers share their time and skills to help people fix everything from household appliances to clothes, clocks and watches. It's a chance to learn something new, share knowledge across generations and meet others in our community.

And you don't need to bring something broken to be part of it! You're always welcome to pop in for tea, cake and a chat.

International Repair Day is now in its 10th year, with repair events taking place around the world. We're proud to be part of a movement that proves how practical know-how and community spirit can go a long way. 💚

17/10/2026

🔧 Happy International Repair Day! 🌍

Today marks the 10th International Repair Day, celebrating the people and communities helping to keep things in use for longer.

Did you know that 62 billion kg of e-waste is generated worldwide every year?

Repairing electrical items is one way we can help tackle this growing mountain of waste, while saving money and making the most of the things we already own.

We're proud to be part of this movement here in Sawbridgeworth, where our volunteer repairers help give much-loved items a second life.

27/09/2026

Thank you to everyone who came along to our repair café yesterday! It was fantastic to see so many people bringing along their broken items and supporting us.

We really appreciated your patience, especially during the busy first hour, while we checked everyone in.

In total we managed to assess 51 items! A brilliant result for our wonderful volunteers who made it possible. 💚

25/09/2026

🔧 One last reminder - our Repair Café is tomorrow, Saturday 26 September

There’s no need to book - simply bring your item along to The Bullfields Centre Sawbridgeworth anytime between 2pm and 4.15pm. Repairs are first come, first served.

⏱️ We allow up to 30 minutes per repair (15 minutes for clocks and watches)
☕ Tea, coffee and cake available
💚 All repairs are free, although donations are always welcome

21/09/2026

Got something at home that needs fixing?

Here are some of the repairs we can help with at this weekend’s repair café on Saturday 26th September. Remember you can drop in at any time between 2 and 4.15pm (we close at 5pm) – there is no need to book.

🔧 General household & electrical repairs: From toasters and irons to lamps, vacuum cleaners and all sorts of things in between. If it’s stopped working, broken or just not quite doing what it should, bring it along and we’ll see what we can do.

⌚ Clocks & watches: Repairer Tim is back this time and ready to take a look at everything from pocket watches to cuckoo clocks.

💻 Computer software: Having trouble with your laptop or a piece of software? We can take a look and see if they can help get things working again.

🔪 Sharpening: Don’t give up on your favourite kitchen knives or gardening shears! Bring them along and we’ll help get them sharp and back in action.

🧵 Sewing: Whether it’s a machine-sewn or hand-sewn repair, our sewing volunteers can help with a range of clothing and textile repairs.

And if you’re not sure whether your item is something we can repair, bring it along anyway. We can’t promise we’ll be able to fix everything, but we’re always happy to have a look!

☕ There may be a short wait to see a repairer during the busier parts of the afternoon, but we’ll be doing our best to keep things moving. While you wait, you can grab a cup of tea or coffee and a slice of cake.

📍 Bullfields Centre, Cutforth Road, Sawbridgeworth
📅 Saturday 26th September
⏰ Drop in anytime between 2pm and 4.15pm – no booking needed.

We look forward to seeing you!

18/09/2026

Got a drawer full of old tech you no longer use? Don’t throw it away, drop it off at our repair café.

Old phones, tablets and laptops contain materials and components that can be recovered, reused and recycled, but too often they end up sitting unused in our homes or being thrown away.

That’s one of the reasons we run a tech amnesty.

You can bring along your unwanted phones, laptops, tablets and even old charging cables and leads.

We’ll make sure they are passed on through our charity partners for refurbishment, reuse or responsible recycling, rather than simply going into the bin.

Europe is not facing a scarcity problem but a recovery challenge, and one that can be solved. https://ebx.sh/VgMGxT

16/09/2026

A question we're sometimes asked is whether we can restore an old or well-loved item to its former glory.

As much as we’d love to help, restoration isn’t something we can offer. Our repair cafés are busy afternoons, and we allow around 30 minutes for each repair (15 minutes for clocks and watches). This means we can help as many people as possible during the session.

So, if something has stopped working, has a fault or needs a practical repair, please bring it along. We’ll assess it and do our best to get it working again.

But if you’re looking to completely refurbish, renovate or restore something, that’s probably a job for a specialist.

Our next event is on Saturday 26 September from 2pm: and remember, there’s now no need to book. Just pop in when it suits you. Repairs are first come, first served, with last entry at 4.15pm.