The Society ran a ‘Have your Say’ campaign for members and local residents to select a charity, from a shortlist of six, for the Society to support in 2025 as its community partner. The result was so close that the top two charities, the Repair Cafe and Gravesham Sanctuary (see separate community project page) will be supported for the next 3 years.
Matthew Ashton and Philip Davies are grateful recipients of the grant:
“Gravesham Repair Cafe are absolutely delighted to be the recipients of this generous grant from Gravesham Friendly. This will enable us to expand and consolidate our activities by providing the residents of Gravesham with a service that repairs all manner of items like small domestic electrics, bikes, clocks, tech, clothing and much much more. Our Repairers at the Repair Cafe are a super bunch of dedicated volunteers, both male and female, who by fixing y our ‘stuff’ will save you money whilst helping save our Planet”
Repair Cafes are held at:
St George’s Church Hall, Gravesend on the first Thursday of every month, 10am – 2pm
And Vigo Village Hall on the second Saturday of every month 10am – 2pm
Statistics for June for both venues are:
Repair Café at St George’s Church Hall, Gravesend – 35 visitors including one member of Gravesham Friendly. Volunteers include Gravesham’s Deputy Mayor and three Gravesham Friendly members.
20 plus repairs were undertaken, mostly successful, with a few being taken home for special attention and 2 that were unable to be repaired. The items repaired included 2 bikes, a number of clocks, radios, computer equipment, hi fi equipment, a garden leaf blower and numerous items of clothing.
Vigo Repair Café – 20 visitors welcomed and 12 or more items repaired. In addition, a number of items left for repair at the last Vigo Repair Café were returned. A large garden water feature with a failed pump is now fixed and back in the owner’s garden. Other items included bikes, clocks, vacuum cleaners and all manner of domestic appliances that were successfully repaired.
Vigo Repair Café has been operating for approximately 7 months now and is still growing.
Feedback from guests is always amazing as people value being able to have all manner of items repaired by the friendly, chatty volunteers. Coffee and biscuits are available and a delightful sense of community is evident as volunteers and guests chat together.
Please go along to either of the Repair Cafés to see if an item can be repaired, enquire about being a volunteer or just pop in for a free coffee and chat. Be assured you will receive a very warm welcome.
We champion community spirit and collaboration; our ambition is to help people lead more confident lives and enhance our local environment.
Attribution
Membership starts at just £14.95 a month, providing up to £5,600 of annual member benefits
