Every month we’ll be highlighting an inspiring volunteer story from an organisation in Southwark. This month our spotlight is on Nunhead Repair Cafe, a volunteer run community group working to make our borough more sustainable.
Founded in 2021 following a community meeting where a local resident suggested creating a place where people could come to get items fixed, The Repair Cafe Nunhead has become the place in Southwark to bring broken belongings and get them mended for free!
Every month a group of volunteer fixers who provide their time and expertise to help a range of visitors and their broken, ripped, old and well-loved items. From amateur seamstresses and bike repairers, to electricians, carpenters and crochet experts, the team can lend their hands to almost any item brought through the doors. Repair Cafe Nunhead focuses on community and collaboration, and aims to be an accessible and affordable way to encourage sustainable consumerism.
Over the 14 months the café has been running the team of volunteers have surpassed expectations, welcoming over 300 visitors to the monthly meets. With an 80% fix rate, they have given hundreds of belongings a new lease of life and rescued them from landfill.
Generously housed at The Green Community Centre in Nunhead, the RCN team have forged a strong connection with the centre and have helped bring new visitors through its doors, mutually extending the community reach. With visitors coming from boroughs beyond Southwark, the popularity of Repair Cafe Nunhead has shown the power of volunteers to come together to create change.
Interested in volunteering, getting something repaired or just finding out more? Visit the Nunhead Repair Cafe website for the latest cafe opening hours.
Want to share an inspiring volunteer story on our website? We’d love to hear from you at volunteering@communitysouthwark.org
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With thanks to the Repair Cafe Nunhead for providing the copy and photograph taken by Laura Ward for this article, and for allowing us to share their story.
