“Most of these things can be fixed, but generally they just get thrown away.”That was how volunteer James Wood described the influx of faulty goods brought into The NEPHRA Good Neighbours Repair Cafe in New Moston, Manchester. The project has been aiming to help people save money and prevent waste by connecting locals with experts who can help them repair broken household items – just like the hit BBC show. Wood, who has a background in IT, has been volunteering at the cafe for around a year. He told the BBC: “Why waste it when we can fix it? I can’t put a figure on how much we’ve saved in terms of money, but there’s a lot I think that we’ve achieved with the project.”Wood said he tends to focus on electrical equipment – such as microwaves and kettles – as well as fixing laptops and has repaired around 50 appliances so far.”It’s been a really successful project so far and I think the variety of stuff that we get in is fantastic and it’s preventing everything going to landfill,” he said. There are more than 20 repair cafes run by registered charity NEPHRA across north-west England. NEPRA’s mission is to reduce loneliness and social isolation and offer training and education opportunities. Manager Claire Walsh said: “People don’t have the money they used to have. “To be able to fix the items that you’ve already got, rather than just going and buying brand new, it’s a huge benefit.”The service is provided thanks to the help of volunteers with specialist skills, including retired electrician Bernard Crick. “I think it gives me an importance in life to sort of carry on and do things to help other people,” he said. Using an example of a toaster, he added: “People bring them in and they said it won’t work, it’s a standard thing, it’s either the fuse blows or the switch goes, and a lot of people throw the toaster away and buy another one.”Another volunteer, Angela Bourne-Griffiths who helps with stitching and sewing, added: “So many people need things doing and I like helping people. “I mean there’s so much stuff now and it’s a shame that no one else is, it’s a throwaway society and if I can save a couple of things from going in that landfill it’s two things less isn’t it?”
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Inside Manchester’s ‘real life Repair Shop’
