Coquetdale Repair Café celebrating after community cash boost

A café that has swapped pastries for power tools is celebrating – thanks to a cash boost of more than £5,000.
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The Coquetdale Repair Café offers customers an unusual service: bring in any valued broken possessions and staff will fix it, over a cuppa and cake, sharing their skills in the process.

The repair sessions are designed to bring together local people who might be at risk of isolation or just fancy a chat, and to also salvage and mend items that would otherwise be destined for landfill.

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The volunteer-led venue boasts specialist 'repair stations’ for belongings ranging from baskets to binoculars, electricals to textiles, and even garden gnomes.

The sessions bring together local people who might be isolated or who just fancy a chat.The sessions bring together local people who might be isolated or who just fancy a chat.
The sessions bring together local people who might be isolated or who just fancy a chat.

Each time an item is successfully fixed, a bell is rung in the hall and everyone cheers.

It has been funded by the North of Tyne Combined Authority (NTCA), Rothbury Parish Council, and generous members of the community.

Elke Meiborg, part of the team of dedicated volunteers that runs the café, said: “We’re so grateful for all the support. Funding from NTCA, Rothbury PC and our backers allowed us to make a flying start. And thanks to our brilliant, skilled volunteers we can actually offer the community what we promised. Without them, we would be nowhere.”

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The NTCA funding comes from a crowdfunding scheme and enables project organisers to cover the costs of new tools and machines as well as overheads like rent.

Coquetdale repair cafe, Rothbury.Coquetdale repair cafe, Rothbury.
Coquetdale repair cafe, Rothbury.

Jamie Driscoll, elected Mayor for the North of Tyne, said: “This is brilliant on so many levels. Sharing skills. Tackling loneliness. Reducing landfill waste. Hats off to the team for such a great idea and for all their hard work.”

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