What’s On

Following a short AGM for the South London charity Sustainable Merton, we will be hosting an expert panel discussion for an evening of inspiration and practical action at Merton Arts Space in Wimbledon. Our special panel discussion brings together leading voices in the sector as we explore how we can move towards a circular future that values repair skills, community, and longevity. We will dive into the nuts and bolts of community repair, fixing the fashion industry, and how we can power up our Right to Repair.

Join Restarters to diagnose and fix your broken, small household electricals. Bring a bike for running repairs with Trailnet. On the spot clothing repairs with Sew London Project and JoyZ. Pop-up recycle point for unwanted small electrical items or cables. Book for a StitchHike with Beccy Evans, designer of outdoor apparel and founder of Utilifolk who will coach you in textile mending skills whilst exploring the Nature Reserve. Refresh your wardrobe at the clothes swap rail – bring up to two items of quality clothing to swap.

Bring along broken, damaged or faulty; Bikes, electricals or textiles and join skilled fixers as they help you attempt a repair on your item, for FREE!

Our Alterations & Repair Clinic is a relaxed, hands-on workshop designed to help you feel confident adjusting, repairing and improving the fit of your clothes. In a small, supportive group, you’ll learn essential skills such as hemming, taking in and letting out seams, reinforcing stress points and repairing minor damage. Working on your own garments, you’ll develop a fitter’s eye while learning practical repair techniques that extend the life of your wardrobe. Whether you’re fixing a favourite piece or refining the fit of something unworn, you’ll gain skills you can use again and again. Perfect for confident beginners and novice sewists, this session is all about building confidence, reducing clothing waste and enjoying the process of making clothes that truly fit — and last. Exclusive Repair Week 25% Discount - Use Code REPAIR2026

Join George and Bee for a relaxed darning workshop and bring along your mending pile. Learn how to repair and revive damaged clothing using traditional darning techniques, either visible or invisible, perfect for socks, jumpers, scarves and more. This hand-sewing class requires no machine skills, so you can easily continue mending at home. Work on your own garments or practise on knitted samplers provided. As it’s Repair Week, you’ll also receive a free mini darning kit to take away.

Live in North London? Fix it, don’t ditch it! Toaster broken? Kettle giving up? We’re offering anyone living in North London (Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Hackney, Haringey, Islington and Waltham Forest) 50% off the cost of electrical and electronic product repairs.

To get a voucher, fill out the application form on our website. Your voucher will be emailed to you, and you can use it at a participating business near you. Save money, reduce waste and help the environment.

This project is funded by the North London Waste Authority and is being delivered in partnership by The Restart Project, ReLondon and fix1.today - powered by FixFirst.

SocialBox.Biz's "Call Before You Scrap It" campaign encourages businesses to donate their old IT equipment to SocialBoxBiz instead of recycling or disposing of it, promoting sustainability and social impact. By reusing functional devices, companies can help prevent waste and support those in need while also meeting their environmental goals. SocialBoxBiz asks companies in London and beyond to conects SocialBoxBiz first for a free assessment during the Repair week for tech items re-usability... Find out more about SocialBoxBiz secure reuse of old laptops and other IT hardware before recycling and disposal here.

Teddy Bear Eco-Fashion Challenge – Do you have a creative child who loves crafts, fashion, or dressing up their teddy bears? This is their time to shine!

We’re inviting children to design and create clothes or accessories for their teddy bears using recycled, upcycled, or scrap fabrics. Old materials can become something beautiful and brand new — all it takes is imagination!

The Goal
- Spark creativity and confidence
- Teach the importance of sustainable fashion
- Show how we can reduce textile waste in fun and creative ways
- Celebrate eco-friendly thinking

What to Do
Design and create a teddy bear outfit or accessory using:
- Fabric scraps
- Old clothes
- Recycled textiles
- Upcycled materials
- Let your imagination run wild — dresses, superhero capes, hats, bags, bow ties, costumes… anything goes!

The Prize
The winning design will be professionally made for the teddy bear and the winning family will receive 20% off alterations

Why It Matters
The fashion industry creates a lot of waste. By reusing and reimagining old materials, we can help protect our planet — and have fun doing it! Let’s turn scraps into style and make sustainability adorable. Enter by emailing their design or attend the store with their chosen design to:

shepherdsbush@thezipyard.co.uk
The Zip Yard Shepherd’s Bush, 117 Shepherds Bush Road, London W6 7LP
0204 626 6050

Our opening hours are:
- Monday to Friday: 9:00 AM – 5:30 PM
- Saturday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Sunday: Closed

T&Cs: Winning designs announced on the 6th March. Send design from 02/03/26 to 05/06/26. Designed outfit made - ready to collect week commencing 09/03/26.

Come behind the scenes to see ReWork, our on site domestic appliance repair workshop and to see the scale of recycling machinery halls and the intensity and energy required for modern recycling. BOOKING ESSENTIAL.

This adult-only tour takes you behind the scenes of one of the UK’s most advanced domestic appliance repair hubs:

The ReWork Journey: See how items dropped off at the Recycling Centre are transformed at ReWork, a premier domestic appliance repair workshop.
Inside the Workshop: A rare opportunity to see inside the warehouse – a “cornucopia” of spare parts and refurbished treasures.
Shop Sustainable: Learn how to find high-quality, pre-loved goods at their online shop.
Repair in Action: See our repair partners and find out why choosing to fix instead of bin is essential for a sustainable future.
Recycling Machinery Hall: Get a first-hand look at the massive scale and energy required for modern recycling to understand why repair is always the greener first choice.

An afternoon of social stitching and mending, hosted by Victoria of Cotton & Cogs, the first Monday of every month! Taking place in Grove Park Community Group's "A Little Cafe" at the Ringway Centre, 268 Baring Road, SE12 0DS this is a friendly meet up and free to attend - whether you have a project on the go or have never attempted to repair your clothes before and want some support just drop in and we'll help! We aim promote the art of mending and slow fashion, through the skill sharing and community connection, however we also welcome anyone looking for an inviting space to get on with any textile based project in the comfort of like minded locals!

Get ideas to help your sewing projects and connect with other menders in this online workshop. Eleanor and Sarah, from Fast Fashion Therapy, are on hand to share sewing ideas and tips in this monthly 'Online Mend-Along'. More of a sewing social rather than a workshop, we chat and offer advice on how to repair and upcycle your clothes. We are a friendly and inclusive group, feel free to share ideas with others on how we can mend and refashion clothes to reduce textile waste. The workshop will be held over Zoom, joining details will be sent out 3 days before and on the day of the event. We are so pleased that we've been given a grant from the National Lottery Community Fund to fund these workshops from February until November 2027 meaning we can keep these workshops free to attend! We ask identity questions about age, gender and ethnicity when you book your place to support the reporting we are required to do to receive the funding that keeps these workshops free. This data will be anonymised and will only be shared with The National Lottery Community Fund.

Live in North London? Fix it, don’t ditch it! Toaster broken? Kettle giving up? We’re offering anyone living in North London (Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Hackney, Haringey, Islington and Waltham Forest) 50% off the cost of electrical and electronic product repairs.

To get a voucher, fill out the application form on our website. Your voucher will be emailed to you, and you can use it at a participating business near you. Save money, reduce waste and help the environment.

This project is funded by the North London Waste Authority and is being delivered in partnership by The Restart Project, ReLondon and fix1.today - powered by FixFirst.

Teddy Bear Eco-Fashion Challenge – Do you have a creative child who loves crafts, fashion, or dressing up their teddy bears? This is their time to shine!

We’re inviting children to design and create clothes or accessories for their teddy bears using recycled, upcycled, or scrap fabrics. Old materials can become something beautiful and brand new — all it takes is imagination!

The Goal
- Spark creativity and confidence
- Teach the importance of sustainable fashion
- Show how we can reduce textile waste in fun and creative ways
- Celebrate eco-friendly thinking

What to Do
Design and create a teddy bear outfit or accessory using:
- Fabric scraps
- Old clothes
- Recycled textiles
- Upcycled materials
- Let your imagination run wild — dresses, superhero capes, hats, bags, bow ties, costumes… anything goes!

The Prize
The winning design will be professionally made for the teddy bear and the winning family will receive 20% off alterations

Why It Matters
The fashion industry creates a lot of waste. By reusing and reimagining old materials, we can help protect our planet — and have fun doing it! Let’s turn scraps into style and make sustainability adorable. Enter by emailing their design or attend the store with their chosen design to:

shepherdsbush@thezipyard.co.uk
The Zip Yard Shepherd’s Bush, 117 Shepherds Bush Road, London W6 7LP
0204 626 6050

Our opening hours are:
- Monday to Friday: 9:00 AM – 5:30 PM
- Saturday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Sunday: Closed

T&Cs: Winning designs announced on the 6th March. Send design from 02/03/26 to 05/06/26. Designed outfit made - ready to collect week commencing 09/03/26.

Free Drop-In Repair & Upcycling Session – Join our expert technicians at our fully equipped Fonthill Road shop for free, informal support to help you repair, alter, or upcycle unworn garments. Supported by Islington Council, these sessions help you extend the life of your clothes and reduce textile waste.

You want to upcycle, repair or alter some unworn garments, we have expert technicians on-hand in our fully equipped shop on Fonthill Road.

This FREE session will take place at the monthly Reusable Nappy Give & Take event at the Islington Ecology Centre, 191 Drayton Park, London N5 1PH. You will learn how to replace elastics in waterproof wraps and all-in-one nappies. There will also be the opportunity to pick up pre-loved cloth nappies, baby clothes and maternity wear for free.

You will learn to sew on a button, repair a split or ripped seam and mend a hem.

A quick fix master class, where you will be shown a series of sewing techniques and be given plenty of time try them out for yourself! Giving you a little knowledge to help you repair your clothing and give them a longer life! Join fashion designer Lorraine Mitchell for a one and a half hour hands on practical creative sewing workshop all about lace collars! No experience required! You'll leave knowing about different hand sewing techniques & methods of attachment, meaning you will be able to mend, alter or update clothing you already have. We will provide everything you need to participate. All attendees will get a re-useable tote bag and a sewing kit so that they can put what they learned into practice at home! We look forward to seeing you!

A quick fix master class, where you will be shown how to add pockets into your clothes and be given plenty of time to try it out for yourself! Giving you a little knowledge to help you revamp your clothing and give them a longer life! Join fashion designer Lorraine Mitchell for a one and a half hour hands on practical creative sewing workshop! No experience required! You'll leave knowing about different hand sewing techniques & methods of attachment for a side seam pocket meaning you will be able to update clothing you already have. We will provide everything you need to participate. All attendees will get a re-useable tote bag and a sewing kit so that they can put what they learned into practice at home!

We will aim to guide the local community in transforming plastics for reusable purposes.

Make-It-Happen are accessible, community skill-sharing workshops with the FYA Regents Park Community Champions - our group meets weekly to work together, upcycle, learn new, practical skills, and plan projects to make our area a better, brighter, more connected and sustainable place. Join in on this special workshop for a relaxed and mindful upcycled art making session, using the tools and materials we have in the space! Open to everyone!

Kicking off Repair Week, we’re excited to introduce The Patch Up. The Patch Up is a new monthly meet-up for craft lovers and anyone looking to mend their clothes.

A space for our volunteer fixers to fix and refurbish electrical waste.

Live in North London? Fix it, don’t ditch it! Toaster broken? Kettle giving up? We’re offering anyone living in North London (Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Hackney, Haringey, Islington and Waltham Forest) 50% off the cost of electrical and electronic product repairs.

To get a voucher, fill out the application form on our website. Your voucher will be emailed to you, and you can use it at a participating business near you. Save money, reduce waste and help the environment.

This project is funded by the North London Waste Authority and is being delivered in partnership by The Restart Project, ReLondon and fix1.today - powered by FixFirst.

Teddy Bear Eco-Fashion Challenge – Do you have a creative child who loves crafts, fashion, or dressing up their teddy bears? This is their time to shine!

We’re inviting children to design and create clothes or accessories for their teddy bears using recycled, upcycled, or scrap fabrics. Old materials can become something beautiful and brand new — all it takes is imagination!

The Goal
- Spark creativity and confidence
- Teach the importance of sustainable fashion
- Show how we can reduce textile waste in fun and creative ways
- Celebrate eco-friendly thinking

What to Do
Design and create a teddy bear outfit or accessory using:
- Fabric scraps
- Old clothes
- Recycled textiles
- Upcycled materials
- Let your imagination run wild — dresses, superhero capes, hats, bags, bow ties, costumes… anything goes!

The Prize
The winning design will be professionally made for the teddy bear and the winning family will receive 20% off alterations

Why It Matters
The fashion industry creates a lot of waste. By reusing and reimagining old materials, we can help protect our planet — and have fun doing it! Let’s turn scraps into style and make sustainability adorable. Enter by emailing their design or attend the store with their chosen design to:

shepherdsbush@thezipyard.co.uk
The Zip Yard Shepherd’s Bush, 117 Shepherds Bush Road, London W6 7LP
0204 626 6050

Our opening hours are:
- Monday to Friday: 9:00 AM – 5:30 PM
- Saturday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Sunday: Closed

T&Cs: Winning designs announced on the 6th March. Send design from 02/03/26 to 05/06/26. Designed outfit made - ready to collect week commencing 09/03/26.

A free advice for local residents on energy retrofit and home repairs to encourage 'Do It Yourself' improvements at home and meet the urgent need to reduce energy bills and repair existing buildings. It will be held at the School of stuff in Dalston.

WoRD Action Days are volunteer sessions that run regularly at our woodshop! Nestled into the Garden of Earthly Delights in Hackney, folks come together to get stuck in, share ideas, and make things with their hands - learning tools and timber tricks as we work as a team to improve the space. We might be processing reclaimed timber, repairing growing structures in the garden, or even working on a new build! You'll get to join in with our team and tools, and meet likeminded people working joyfully and sustainably in a fantastically friendly slice of urban nature in London!

Session runs 12pm - 4pm.

Bring a packed lunch, and wear weather appropriate clothing and shoes.

Got a broken household electrical item? Bring it along to the Fixing Factory in either Camden or Hackney, where skilled local volunteers will try to repair it as part of their learning and development journey.

A quick fix master class, where you will be shown a series of sewing techniques and be given plenty of time to try them out for yourself - this workshop will focus on upcycling old fabrics into a new drawstring bag! Giving you a little knowledge to help you repair your clothing and give them a longer life! Join fashion designer Lorraine Mitchell for a one and a half hour hands on practical creative sewing workshop! No experience required! You'll leave knowing about different hand sewing techniques & methods of attachment, meaning you will be able to mend, alter or update clothing you already have. Please bring an old t-shirt or sweatshirt to upcycle! We will provide all other tools required to participate. All attendees will get a re-useable tote bag and a sewing kit so that they can put what they learned into practice at home! We look forward to seeing you!

Learn how to repair broken tech at this free Fix and Do event at Belsize Community Library.

At free Dr Bike sessions experienced mechanics check everything on your bike including: wheels, brakes, gears, tyre pressure, lights, racks, pedals and saddles.

Join fashion designer Lorraine Mitchell for a one and a half hour hands on practical repair, rewear, relove workshop, all about zips! You'll leave knowing about different zips and methods of attachment (and have a practice yourself), meaning you will be able to mend, alter or update the clothing you already have! Giving you a little knowledge to help you revamp your clothing and give them a longer life! No experience required! We will provide everything you need to participate. All attendees will get a re-useable tote bag and a sewing kit so that they can put what they learned into practice at home!

Material Circularity in Practice: Repair, Reuse & Community Action brings together practitioners, educators, and community organisers at BLUE GARAGE @ Materialise Lab to explore how repair and reuse contribute to material circularity. Through talks and a Q&A, speakers will share perspectives from community mending, fashion education, and circular economy practice, highlighting real-world approaches to reducing textile waste, supporting wellbeing, and strengthening community action. The event will create a space for knowledge exchange, collaboration, and discussion around practical, people-centred sustainability.

Come join us for a fun, social and hands-on taste of Tooting Repair Club.There'll be a range of activities - from soldering electronics to changing a bike tyre - and a chance to meet the fixers - no prior experience needed for this drop-in session. Note: this is not a repair cafe, so we won't be able to work on items you bring along.

Maybe you have a holey sock, a favourite moth eaten jumper, torn jeans you want to save but don’t know how. This workshop will take you through the basics of woven darning. We will show you tips for visible and invisible mending.

Material Circularity in Practice: Sashiko Mending Workshop will take place at BLUE GARAGE @ Materialise Lab on 4 March 2026. Following the earlier talk, this 90-minute hands-on workshop will invite participants to put circular principles into practice by learning traditional Sashiko mending techniques. Attendees will be encouraged to bring a woven garment, such as a shirt or denim, to repair, with all additional materials and equipment provided. Hosted by Madeline Tanoto and Alison Reupke, the session will focus on practical repair skills, promoting reuse, creativity, and sustainable approaches to clothing care through guided making.

Live in North London? Fix it, don’t ditch it! Toaster broken? Kettle giving up? We’re offering anyone living in North London (Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Hackney, Haringey, Islington and Waltham Forest) 50% off the cost of electrical and electronic product repairs.

To get a voucher, fill out the application form on our website. Your voucher will be emailed to you, and you can use it at a participating business near you. Save money, reduce waste and help the environment.

This project is funded by the North London Waste Authority and is being delivered in partnership by The Restart Project, ReLondon and fix1.today - powered by FixFirst.

Learn basic woodwork skills from experts and bring along small or medium wooden items: chests of drawers, bed side cabinets, shelving units, chairs, small table, picture frame, spice rack for repair and upcycling on the spot. You will be able to fix, polish, varnish, paint or apply patterns to your items. Booking is essential.

Teddy Bear Eco-Fashion Challenge – Do you have a creative child who loves crafts, fashion, or dressing up their teddy bears? This is their time to shine!

We’re inviting children to design and create clothes or accessories for their teddy bears using recycled, upcycled, or scrap fabrics. Old materials can become something beautiful and brand new — all it takes is imagination!

The Goal
- Spark creativity and confidence
- Teach the importance of sustainable fashion
- Show how we can reduce textile waste in fun and creative ways
- Celebrate eco-friendly thinking

What to Do
Design and create a teddy bear outfit or accessory using:
- Fabric scraps
- Old clothes
- Recycled textiles
- Upcycled materials
- Let your imagination run wild — dresses, superhero capes, hats, bags, bow ties, costumes… anything goes!

The Prize
The winning design will be professionally made for the teddy bear and the winning family will receive 20% off alterations

Why It Matters
The fashion industry creates a lot of waste. By reusing and reimagining old materials, we can help protect our planet — and have fun doing it! Let’s turn scraps into style and make sustainability adorable. Enter by emailing their design or attend the store with their chosen design to:

shepherdsbush@thezipyard.co.uk
The Zip Yard Shepherd’s Bush, 117 Shepherds Bush Road, London W6 7LP
0204 626 6050

Our opening hours are:
- Monday to Friday: 9:00 AM – 5:30 PM
- Saturday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Sunday: Closed

T&Cs: Winning designs announced on the 6th March. Send design from 02/03/26 to 05/06/26. Designed outfit made - ready to collect week commencing 09/03/26.

Participants learn how to patch, stitch, darn and get their old clothes working again. Participants are asked to bring along one or two items of clothes that are in need of repair and we will teach them how to fix them. We have examples of clothes that have been repaired to inspire, practice materials and clothes to work on too. All our workshops are suitable for those with no previous skills, and we will have examples of clothes that have been repaired, as well as materials to practice on.

Unit 27 at Baseline Studios, Whitchurch Road, London W11 4AT

A quick fix master class, where you you'll learn simple techniques to be able to repair and embroider your clothes! Join Sarah from The Stitches Academy for a one and a half hour hands-on practical creative sewing workshop! No experience required! Headed by Sarah Orru, Stitches Academy offers textile and sewing classes for children from the age of 8, all the way through to adults focusing on themes such as sustainability in fashion, portraits, graphic design, costume design. You'll leave knowing about different visible mending techniques and ways of upcycling, meaning you will be able to alter, repair and update the clothing you already have and love. This workshop will show you the many ways you can get creative & love your clothes for longer with simple hand embroidery methods. We will provide everything you need to participate. All attendees will get a re-useable tote bag and a sewing kit so that they can put what they learned into practice at home! We look forward to seeing you!

Want to spend some time getting creative, or working on a project? Join in on Thursdays to build confidence in making! Our workshop has hand and power tools, sewing machines, art supplies and more - come along and get hands-on!

A quick fix master class, where you'll learn simple techniques to be able to repair your clothes! Join Sarah from The Stitches Academy for a one and a half hour hands-on practical creative sewing workshop! No experience required! Headed by Sarah Orru, Stitches Academy offers textile and sewing classes for children from the age of 8, all the way through to adults focusing on themes such as sustainability in fashion, portraits, graphic design, costume design. You'll leave knowing about different hand sewing techniques and ways of upcycling, meaning you will be able to alter, mend and update the clothing you already have and love. This workshop will be focused on a boro inspired repair style, which is a form of visible mending. We will provide everything you need to participate. All attendees will get a re-useable tote bag and a sewing kit so that they can put what they learned into practice at home! We look forward to seeing you!

Repair a cherished broken object from your home using kintsugi-inspired techniques in a hands-on workshop led by Hakose Junichi, master urushi lacquer and maki-e artist from Wajima.

Lisa from East London Waste Authority (ELWA) for a Team Repair hands on workshop. The young people will have the opportunity to learn real STEM skills by repairing real gadgets! The workshop will involve providing young people with the tools and knowledge to fix broken gadgets. Learn real STEM skills by repairing real life gadgets!

The gadget will be a retro games console or pocket microscope
Book now to guarantee your place!
Suitable for ages 10 years and over.
Adult supervision is required for the workshops.
Booking is advised but there will be some kits available for some people to join on the day.

Find out more about the Team Repair kits here:
www.team.repair
www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vfs0xjkJBc

Any questions about this workshop please email: campaigns@eastlondonwaste.gov.uk

Join different textile designers who will present their work & demo a "Quick Fix" technique. Then have a go on your own garment repair! To celebrate London Repair Week, we wanted to offer something a bit different! Many of us may have heard or been to a Pecha Kucha night - A Japanese, story telling format, Inspired by the idea to "talk less, show more", enabling creatives to show their work over 20 slides for 20 seconds per slide. But have you been to a Pecha Kucha mending party before?

Each guest designer will present their work and demonstrate a "Quick Fix" mending technique for 15 mins (give or take - it will be fluid!) At the end of the presentations, choose one of the techniques that inspired you and try out on an item of your own clothing in need of some TLC!

All levels of sewist or non sewist welcomed!

Join the Clocktower Knit Nat group for a special evening focusing on darning/mending/patching workshop during their weekly session. You will learn how to repair your knitwear/clothes by hand in a friendly and very creative atmosphere. You can also join us for mending all year round.

In response to the growing waste crisis, Traid X Alterist X OPNY have teamed up to transform pre-loved T-shirts donated through Traid's reuse network into a limited-edition collection that puts creativity, youth voices and circular design at the centre. The drop features three designs created by Alterist, inspired by characters from Our Planet Needs You—an educational storybook illustrated by street artist Kleemu.

Live in North London? Fix it, don’t ditch it! Toaster broken? Kettle giving up? We’re offering anyone living in North London (Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Hackney, Haringey, Islington and Waltham Forest) 50% off the cost of electrical and electronic product repairs.

To get a voucher, fill out the application form on our website. Your voucher will be emailed to you, and you can use it at a participating business near you. Save money, reduce waste and help the environment.

This project is funded by the North London Waste Authority and is being delivered in partnership by The Restart Project, ReLondon and fix1.today - powered by FixFirst.

Primark is partnering with The Seam, hosting a drop-in, same day quick fix repairs & alterations service in Primark's Bromley store. The Seam is an independent UK alterations service who began working with Primark in the Manchester Market Street store exclusively for simple same-day repairs in September 2025. The service in Bromley kicks off during Repair Week, on Friday March 6th, and will run in store every Friday until June 5th. More complex services will be offered with a one-week turnaround, to be collected the following Friday!

Bring a piece of furniture that needs repair and we will see how far we can get with fixing it in a day. We have most materials here, but check with us first.

Bringing together MA Fashion students from Central Saint Martins, visiting designers from West Africa, and UK-based material makers in residence, the Camp is a living studio of exchange — where skills, stories and traditions meet new design thinking. Throughout the residency, our makers will be selling beautifully crafted pieces spanning fashion, textiles and hand-made objects, each rooted in the rich craft histories of the UK and West Africa. Expect limited-edition Heritage Craft slogan T-shirts printed by MA Fashion @CSM, alongside exclusive works created during the Camp itself — unique pieces born from cross-cultural collaboration. This is more than a shop: it’s a celebration of making, material knowledge, and shared creative futures. Join us to discover, support and wear the story of heritage craft reimagined.

Celebrate Repair Week 2026 at Patch Twickenham with a special Repair Café pop-up and live Library of Things demos – bring broken items to fix, learn new skills and discover what you can borrow instead of buy.

Join us for a relaxed, hands-on afternoon of creativity, sustainability, and skill building at our Mending & Upcycling Workshop — open to Imperial staff, students, and members of the wider community. Whether you’re new to sewing or a confident crafter, this event offers something for everyone.  Learn practical ways to extend the life of your clothes, transform old textiles into something new, and reduce waste through a series of fun, friendly, and supportive activity stations. Come for the whole session or just pop in for a quick fix — all are welcome! 

Turn your old tote bag into a new drawstring bag. This workshop is lead by people with learning disabilities for people with learning disabilities.

A quick fix master class, where you'll learn simple techniques to be able to repair your clothes! Join Sarah from The Stitches Academy for a one and a half hour hands-on practical creative sewing workshop! No experience required! Headed by Sarah Orru, Stitches Academy offers textile and sewing classes for children from the age of 8, all the way through to adults focusing on themes such as sustainability in fashion, portraits, graphic design, costume design. You'll leave knowing about different hand sewing techniques and ways of upcycling, meaning you will be able to alter, mend and update the clothing you already have and love. This workshop will be focused on a boro inspired repair style, which is a form of visible mending. We will provide everything you need to participate. All attendees will get a re-useable tote bag and a sewing kit so that they can put what they learned into practice at home! We look forward to seeing you!

Repair a cherished broken object from your home using kintsugi-inspired techniques in a hands-on workshop led by Hakose Junichi, master urushi lacquer and maki-e artist from Wajima.

Something broken or not quite right on your bike? Come and learn how to fix it!

A quick fix master class, where you you'll learn simple techniques to be able to repair and embroider your clothes! Join Sarah from The Stitches Academy for a one and a half hour hands-on practical creative sewing workshop! No experience required! Headed by Sarah Orru, Stitches Academy offers textile and sewing classes for children from the age of 8, all the way through to adults focusing on themes such as sustainability in fashion, portraits, graphic design, costume design. You'll leave knowing about different visible mending techniques and ways of upcycling, meaning you will be able to alter, repair and update the clothing you already have and love. This workshop will show you the many ways you can get creative & love your clothes for longer with simple hand embroidery methods. We will provide everything you need to participate. All attendees will get a re-useable tote bag and a sewing kit so that they can put what they learned into practice at home! We look forward to seeing you!

Live in North London? Fix it, don’t ditch it! Toaster broken? Kettle giving up? We’re offering anyone living in North London (Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Hackney, Haringey, Islington and Waltham Forest) 50% off the cost of electrical and electronic product repairs.

To get a voucher, fill out the application form on our website. Your voucher will be emailed to you, and you can use it at a participating business near you. Save money, reduce waste and help the environment.

This project is funded by the North London Waste Authority and is being delivered in partnership by The Restart Project, ReLondon and fix1.today - powered by FixFirst.

Join us for a deep dive into sustainable textiles design, what is the present, the future, and can it relate to our own work and lives? Learn how to make better decisions when choosing fabrics and clothing and whilst making and designing.

Join us on 7th March for our Rotherhithe Repair Café, part of Repair Week! Bring household items, clothing, small electronics and even bikes to be fixed for free by skilled volunteers. Learn practical skills, meet neighbours, and enjoy a friendly, community atmosphere.

Give your bike the TLC it needs at a free Dr Bike session at Haven Green in Ealing, W5 2UZ. Professional mechanics will check your bike to make sure it’s roadworthy, and make small adjustments and repairs if necessary, such as tuning your gears, adjusting your brakes or pumping your tyres.

learn the linocut process, reviving old and new garments by block printing. Join us for a hands-on experience where you'll learn the ins and outs of creating your lino -cut block prints on textiles. Our expert instructors will guide you through the process from start to finish, covering everything from design tips to printing techniques. Don't worry if you're new to printing, this workshop is designed for all skill levels, so you can feel exploring your creativity in a supportive environment.

The City Corporation’s recycling team is hosting a series of free workshops, helping you breathe new life into old and broken items. Whether you're looking to fix your faulty electronics or mend your old and worn clothes, this event is all about reducing waste by keeping items in use for longer and giving you the confidence to attempt repairs yourself. Don't miss this chance to learn new skills, meet like-minded people, and make a positive impact - all while having fun!

Janelle from White Weft, Author of Jean Genius will guide you techniques to mend your ripped and worn denim, using the her book and display samples. Bring an item to repair or have a go on a sampler that you can take home. £10 (includes materials, tea and biscuits).

Start your sewing journey here at Mending 101, a fun hands-on workshop teaching you how to tackle everyday clothing repairs. This session is designed with beginners and experienced seamsters alike! The only thing you need to bring is any clothing you need to repair. During the workshop, you’ll learn five essential repair skills that will help you keep your favourite clothes in the game for longer:

1. Button Repair - master the simple art of reattaching and securing loose or missing buttons.
2. Hemming - tidy up or shorten trousers, skirts and sleeves with clean, easy hems.
3. Basic Hole / Visible Mending - fix small holes neatly or embrace colourful, eye‑catching mends.
4. Seam Repairs - close up seam splits and reinforce stitching for a longer-lasting finish.
5. Patch Repair - cover larger holes or add personality with a well‑placed patch.

All tools and materials will be provided, just bring yourself (and an item you’d like to practise on, if you’d like). Come along, learn something new, meet fellow fixers and discover how simple and empowering mending can be. Let’s give our clothes a second life and make repair the new normal this London Repair Week! 🌍💛

📅 Date: Saturday 7th March
📍 Location: Small Hall, Hilldrop Community Centre, Community Lane, Hilldrop Road, N7 0JE
⏰ Time: 10:00-12:00
➡️ Arrival Directions: The centre is located at the end of Community Lane, just off Hilldrop Road. It’s a bit hidden (signage is being improved), so follow Community Lane all the way to the bottom. There is an alternative entrance via an alley from Hilldrop Crescent, but it’s harder to spot, Community Lane is the easiest route.

About Us: The Mend is building a multi-touchpoint platform for all things circular fashion: find sustainable textile-based workshops and events across London, discover creative upcyclers that show what’s possible with clothing reuse, join in-person workshops to learn new craft skills and make new friends. Check out The Mend on tiktok @themend_ and follow us on Instagram @themend.ltd - to see what the circular fashion movement is all about!

Take part in Repair Week with London Recycles, and give your old clothes a new lease of life! Hosted by London National Park City’s resident clothing repair expert Elly Platt, this free all-day drop-in event is the perfect place to learn the basics of clothing repair. With quick no-sew repairs for outerwear, and fixes for those awkward holes in your jeans, your hardworking garments will be ready for another year of making London greener, healthier and wilder. Want to learn some simple sewing skills, or take your clothes from basic to beautiful? Join in the patch-making workshop, where you can try out useful handsewing techniques to mend your clothes at home, or embroider a fabric patch to mend or embellish a favourite garment. This workshop is for everyone, whether you have been sewing for years, or are yet to pick up a needle and thread! Please bring along an item of clothing that needs a little love (we’ll have special tape available for raincoats with leaky seams, and fabric for patches) or simply drop in if you’d like to make a patch.

Bringing together MA Fashion students from Central Saint Martins, visiting designers from West Africa, and UK-based material makers in residence, the Camp is a living studio of exchange — where skills, stories and traditions meet new design thinking. Throughout the residency, our makers will be selling beautifully crafted pieces spanning fashion, textiles and hand-made objects, each rooted in the rich craft histories of the UK and West Africa. Expect limited-edition Heritage Craft slogan T-shirts printed by MA Fashion @CSM, alongside exclusive works created during the Camp itself — unique pieces born from cross-cultural collaboration. This is more than a shop: it’s a celebration of making, material knowledge, and shared creative futures. Join us to discover, support and wear the story of heritage craft reimagined.

Wanstead Repair Café is run by local residents in partnership with Christ Church Parish and Wanstead Climate Action. The team work with repairers from the Restart Project for electrical fixes, Trailnet to provide bike MOTs and local volunteers to offer garment and other minor sewing repairs. As a volunteer-led project, they welcome help and support! If you have repair skills or would just like to help out with the general running of the event on the day, get in touch with them via wansteadrepaircafe@gmail.com.

Bring your broken electrical items to the fixing factory and our top fixing team will repair them.

Repair Café Kingston promotes repair as an alternative to throwing things away, and takes place on the first Saturday of every month in Kingston Library's community room. Visitors can bring their broken items to fix on the spot with the help of voluntary repairers and refreshments; they can save time and avoid queues by booking a repair slot. Our volunteers can repair or advise on a huge range of items, many of which (e g, children's toys, ceramics, wooden objects, clothes...) would be hard to get repaired anywhere else.

Drop in free mending session with our friends at XO bikes. We can help you repair your worn and torn items. Just bring them along and we will guide you how to do it yourself. Cyclist special! Holey trouser legs, oil stains. Thanks to Lewisham council greener and cleaner grant!

Join us for the opening of our reuse and repair hub, called the Fixery! The Fixery is a community repair and reuse hub. It welcomes residents to repair, reuse and swap items, helping them reduce waste, save money and strengthen community connections.

You can:
Repair it – Repair bicycles, clothing or small electrical items
Swap it – Swap clothes and refresh your wardrobe
Refill it – Refill your empty household cleaning and laundry products
Purchase pre-loved teddy bears or small craft materials – Fabrics, buttons, ribbons, and more
Connect with others – Sit and relax at our on-site café with delicious coffee and snacks available for purchase

Want to learn how to use power tools, find materials, build and repair things?

Come along to the Woodshop of Recycled Delights' 'Intro to Reclaimed Woodworking' Workshop where you will learn how to use hand and power tools to build with reclaimed wood! Perfect for total beginners!

In this workshop, you'll learn:
- Sourcing, assessing and processing waste timber to kickstart your projects
- Woodworking fundamentals: Measuring, marking and cutting with hand tools
- Power Drills 101! What all the bits do, and how to use them safely and confidently
- How to design and put together a waste-free woodworking project!

Through plenty of practical hands-on time to practice, you'll learn about the environmental impact of timber waste, and how you can help our planet while constructing useful and joyful projects! We'll be making reclaimed timber shelves - which you'll get to customise and take home on the day!

Bring along your broken small electrical or electronic items. We’ll do our best to help you fix them.

A comprehensive introduction to a series of practical hand sewing stitches for textile and clothing repair or making from scratch.

On completion of the class participants will confidently be able to:

- Know how to use 5 key hand sewing stitches: Back Stitch, Buttonhole Stitch, Running Stitch, Slip Stitch & Whipping Stitch
- 'Hem' by hand (changing the length of a garment or repair a frayed edge)
- Fix rips, holes and other wear & tear areas
- Repair seams (joins in your garment)
- Sew on buttons, poppers & hooks/bars
- Explore traditional & creative choices for your repair work
- Work on your mending pile with joy!

Learn simple ways to fix and refresh your favourite garments. No experience needed, just bring something you’d like to mend.

Come along on Saturday 7 March to ReActon, Stirling Road, Acton, W3 8DJ. From 11pm – 2pm. It will be a fun family friendly day of reusing and repair. Activities include Free School uniform to take away, including non-branded and some branded high school & primary items. Learn you how to repair your clothes with Ealing Repair Cafe. Get your bike a mini service and a check-up. Bring unwanted clothes and drop off small electrical items. Pick up books in our book swap and some free household paint, that otherwise was destined for landfill. There will be upcycling activities including making a bracelet from t-shirt yarn. Plus other reuse activities on the day.

You will learn how to sew on a button, repair a split or ripped seam and mend a hem.

Got an electrical appliance in need of a little TLC? Join our Community Repair sessions, where you’ll inspect, diagnose, and repair your item with the help of our team — no experience needed, just bring your curiosity and willingness to learn.

Hillingdon's Repair and Reuse Day is hosted inside The Great Barn, a beautiful 13th‑century timber‑framed landmark built around 1280. Explore a brilliant mix of stalls, including TRAID with textile collections and a repair workshop, Friends of the Earth offering electrical fixes, Dr Bike providing free cycle checks and basic repairs, the Mobility Aids Reuse scheme accepting unwanted walking aids, Refill Your Cup selling their zero-waste products, and sustainability expert Bill Upchurch with practical home‑energy and mould‑prevention advice. You can also drop off unwanted textiles and small electricals for responsible recycling, enjoy complimentary refreshments, and take part in family‑friendly activities like our quiz and children’s treasure hunt — the perfect way to celebrate Repair Week and support a greener community.

On Saturday 7th March 11am-1pm Age Uk Volunteers will be on hand to offer mending advice for clothing items. You can drop in with an item and they will suggest solutions, and where possible will mend items on the day or guide you on how to mend the item yourself! There will be plenty of needles and thread, patches and general mending supplies to work with and tea nad biscuits also supplied!

Ready to refresh your wardrobe? Swap old for new-to-you at our latest clothes swap event. Give and take up to 5 items of good quality wearable clothing. You'll also have a chance to take part in repair workshops. ELWA's clothes swaps have a brand-new look! We've partnered with the fantastic LOANHOOD to deliver our next series of swaps.

Islington Fixers will help you fix your broken electricals and electronics to save them from waste. The focus of the event will be skill-sharing, where you take an active role in the repair.

Got a broken household electrical item? Bring it along to the Fixing Factory in either Camden or Hackney, where skilled local volunteers will try to repair it as part of their learning and development journey.

Sewing and mending that needs doing and you'd like a bit of advice? Broken electrical or electronic items you don't want to throw away? Join us at a fun free event where you learn how to fix and take back control of your electricals: Slow or damaged laptops, smartphones, radios, kettles and many of your other favourite devices can often be put right so “don’t despair, just repair”. Buttons missing from your shirts? Holes in your jumpers? Bring your repair and stitching projects along to the sewing table. Join with others and do your mending, sewing, knitting and crochet in company - with skills sharing if you'd like it. We always welcome new local fixers and menders. You may already have skills, or simply like the idea of fixing and want to learn more. Come down and say Hi and we can pair you up with an experienced fixer to see how it works and find out more! Free event, but donations and help welcome! For news of future session check out this link or visit our Facebook page or follow us at @tttooting.

Free Repairs & Digital Skills Training Event by Saras Fix.

Is your favourite jacket torn or your tent leaking? Don’t toss them—fix them! In this hands-on workshop, you’ll learn basic mending skills like patching holes, sewing seams, replacing buttons, and applying simple waterproof treatments. Whether it’s outdoor gear or everyday clothing, we’ll help you extend its life. No experience needed—just bring your damaged items and we’ll show you how to make them good as new!

Want to learn how to fix your bike's most common problems? Join our Bike Basics Workshop! We'll cover essential maintenance skills like fixing a flat tire, adjusting your brakes, and keeping your chain clean. You'll leave with the confidence to handle basic repairs and keep your bike running smoothly.

Give your bike the TLC it needs at a free Dr Bike session at Acton Market, The Mount, King Street, W3 9NW (By Morrisons). Professional mechanics will check your bike to make sure it’s roadworthy, and make small adjustments and repairs if necessary, such as tuning your gears, adjusting your brakes or pumping your tyres.

As part of London Repair Week Stitch-School invites you to bring a garment or textile that is worn, torn, stained or tired. Learn, explore decorative and repair stitches with company, guidance and inspiration to repair a pre-loved item that is weary and worn to a new life!

Join SKC Space (Stitch, Knit, Crochet) for an afternoon of creativity, connection, and shared making, presented in collaboration with Central Saint Martins. Creative Threads opens the door to a welcoming, hands-on space where people of all ages and backgrounds come together to sew, stitch, crochet, knit, and swap stories along the way. Rooted in upcycling and sustainable making, these sessions are about giving old materials a second life — transforming the overlooked into something useful, beautiful, or quietly brilliant — while nurturing both the planet and personal wellbeing. Confidence grows stitch by stitch, new techniques are shared freely, and knowledge travels easily across generations. More than a workshop, Creative Threads is a living, breathing community: inclusive, intergenerational, and held together by warmth and mutual support. Any surplus generated is reinvested directly into sustaining and growing future gatherings, keeping the circle open and the needles moving.

Come visit Church Street Repair, a local sustainability initiative featuring Westminster Wheels, Renew!Renew! and Church Street Share and Repair as we bring the spirit of every day repair and reuse to the community.

A comprehensive introduction to different methods of hand sewing or darning your holey woollens!

On completion of the class participants will confidently be able to:

- Use traditional weaving 'Darning' techniques.
- Have a basic understanding of 'Duplicate Stitch'
- Try out 'Needle Felting' or 'Wool Fill'
- Apply techniques to different weights of woolens from fine cashmere jumpers to chunky hand knits
- Explore Discreet or 'Visible Mending' choices
- Learn how to re stitch unravelled seams and cuffs.
- Consider different colour combinations and creative features.
- Work on your own mending pile!

One of our series of workshops teaching how to fix electrical items from the ground up.

Come and learn the basics of how to repair household electricals. This first part teaches you how to wire a plug safely, and checking this is always the first step to repairing household electricals. In fact if you can do this you are about 75% of the way in being able to PAT test electricals!

Live in North London? Fix it, don’t ditch it! Toaster broken? Kettle giving up? We’re offering anyone living in North London (Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Hackney, Haringey, Islington and Waltham Forest) 50% off the cost of electrical and electronic product repairs.

To get a voucher, fill out the application form on our website. Your voucher will be emailed to you, and you can use it at a participating business near you. Save money, reduce waste and help the environment.

This project is funded by the North London Waste Authority and is being delivered in partnership by The Restart Project, ReLondon and fix1.today - powered by FixFirst.

Start your sewing journey here at Mending 101, a fun hands-on workshop teaching you how to tackle everyday clothing repairs. This session is designed with beginners and experienced seamsters alike! The only thing you need to bring is any clothing you need to repair. During the workshop, you’ll learn five essential repair skills that will help you keep your favourite clothes in the game for longer:

1. Button Repair - master the simple art of reattaching and securing loose or missing buttons.
2. Hemming - tidy up or shorten trousers, skirts and sleeves with clean, easy hems.
3. Basic Hole / Visible Mending - fix small holes neatly or embrace colourful, eye‑catching mends.
4. Seam Repairs - close up seam splits and reinforce stitching for a longer-lasting finish.
5. Patch Repair - cover larger holes or add personality with a well‑placed patch.

All tools and materials will be provided, just bring yourself (and an item you’d like to practise on, if you’d like). Come along, learn something new, meet fellow fixers and discover how simple and empowering mending can be. Let’s give our clothes a second life and make repair the new normal this London Repair Week! 🌍💛

📅 Date: Saturday 7th March
📍 Location: Small Hall, Hilldrop Community Centre, Community Lane, Hilldrop Road, N7 0JE
⏰ Time: 10:00-12:00
➡️ Arrival Directions: The centre is located at the end of Community Lane, just off Hilldrop Road. It’s a bit hidden (signage is being improved), so follow Community Lane all the way to the bottom. There is an alternative entrance via an alley from Hilldrop Crescent, but it’s harder to spot, Community Lane is the easiest route.

About Us: The Mend is building a multi-touchpoint platform for all things circular fashion: find sustainable textile-based workshops and events across London, discover creative upcyclers that show what’s possible with clothing reuse, join in-person workshops to learn new craft skills and make new friends. Check out The Mend on tiktok @themend_ and follow us on Instagram @themend.ltd - to see what the circular fashion movement is all about!

Join us on the 8 March from 12-4pm for a free Repair Cafe in Hackney. Whether it's a broken toaster, a wobbly bike or a torn jumper, our expert volunteers are here to help bring it back to life for FREE! Pop by and let's give your items a second chance! No booking required - walk ins only.

Bringing together MA Fashion students from Central Saint Martins, visiting designers from West Africa, and UK-based material makers in residence, the Camp is a living studio of exchange — where skills, stories and traditions meet new design thinking. Throughout the residency, our makers will be selling beautifully crafted pieces spanning fashion, textiles and hand-made objects, each rooted in the rich craft histories of the UK and West Africa. Expect limited-edition Heritage Craft slogan T-shirts printed by MA Fashion @CSM, alongside exclusive works created during the Camp itself — unique pieces born from cross-cultural collaboration. This is more than a shop: it’s a celebration of making, material knowledge, and shared creative futures. Join us to discover, support and wear the story of heritage craft reimagined.

Is your favourite jacket torn or your tent leaking? Don’t toss them—fix them! In this hands-on workshop, you’ll learn basic mending skills like patching holes, sewing seams, replacing buttons, and applying simple waterproof treatments. Whether it’s outdoor gear or everyday clothing, we’ll help you extend its life. No experience needed—just bring your damaged items and we’ll show you how to make them good as new!

Want to learn how to fix your bike's most common problems? Join our Bike Basics Workshop! We'll cover essential maintenance skills like fixing a flat tire, adjusting your brakes, and keeping your chain clean. You'll leave with the confidence to handle basic repairs and keep your bike running smoothly.

Bring an item of clothing to mend and be inspired by traditional Japanese Boro mending techniques.

Join George and Bee for a Swiss darning workshop and bring your mending pile. Learn how to creatively repair knitted or stretch garments by recreating the fabric’s original loop structure for a seamless, stretchy finish, ideal for jumpers, scarves and socks. This intermediate hand-sewing class includes all equipment, and you can work on your own garments or practise on samples provided. As part of Repair Week, you’ll also receive a free mini darning kit to take home.

Sashiko is a centuries old Japanese stitching technique, the literal translation is ‘little stabs’. It can be used decoratively and for repair. The designs can be simple and functional or very detailed and ornate. It can be a gorgeously repetitive and meditative technique. It is beautiful and mindful way of giving new life to something worn or broken.

Come along to join Ealing Repair café to mend your clothes and learn new mending techniques to repair your clothes and textiles. From 2 pm-3.30pm. Hand powered Singer sewing machine available for suitable mends.

Lisa from East London Waste Authority (ELWA) for a Team Repair hands on workshop. The young people will have the opportunity to learn real STEM skills by repairing real gadgets! The workshop will involve providing young people with the tools and knowledge to fix broken gadgets. Learn real STEM skills by repairing real life gadgets!

The gadget will be a retro games console or pocket microscope
Book now to guarantee your place!
Suitable for ages 10 years and over.
Adult supervision is required for the workshops.
Booking is advised but there will be some kits available for some people to join on the day.

Find out more about the Team Repair kits here:
www.team.repair
www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vfs0xjkJBc

Any questions about this workshop please email: campaigns@eastlondonwaste.gov.uk

Lisa from East London Waste Authority (ELWA) for a Team Repair hands on workshop. The young people will have the opportunity to learn real STEM skills by repairing real gadgets! The workshop will involve providing young people with the tools and knowledge to fix broken gadgets. Learn real STEM skills by repairing real life gadgets!

The gadget will be a retro games console or pocket microscope
Book now to guarantee your place!
Suitable for ages 10 years and over.
Adult supervision is required for the workshops.
Booking is advised but there will be some kits available for some people to join on the day.

Find out more about the Team Repair kits here:
www.team.repair
www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vfs0xjkJBc

Any questions about this workshop please email: campaigns@eastlondonwaste.gov.uk

Give your bike the TLC it needs at a free Dr Bike session at West Ealing Farmers Market, Leeland Road, Ealing W13 9HH. Professional mechanics will check your bike to make sure it’s roadworthy, and make small adjustments and repairs if necessary, such as tuning your gears, adjusting your brakes or pumping your tyres.

Ready to refresh your wardrobe? Swap old for new-to-you at our latest clothes swap event. Give and take up to 5 items of good quality wearable clothing. You'll also have a chance to take part in repair workshops. ELWA's clothes swaps have a brand-new look! We've partnered with the fantastic LOANHOOD to deliver our next series of swaps.

Bringing together local specialists for on-the-spot repairs, workshops, secondhand bargains, refashioned must-haves and fair favourite - the free Give and Take.

Bring along broken, damaged or faulty; Bikes, electricals or textiles and join skilled fixers as they help you attempt a repair on your item, for FREE!

Give your bike the TLC it needs at a free Dr Bike session at Hanwell Clock Tower, W7. Professional mechanics will check your bike to make sure it’s roadworthy, and make small adjustments and repairs if necessary, such as tuning your gears, adjusting your brakes or pumping your tyres.

Find new ways to reuse, repair and refashion your everyday items! Bringing together local specialists for on-the-spot repairs, workshops, secondhand bargains, refashioned must-haves and fair favourite - the free Give and Take. This one day event pops up in community spaces across the borough throughout the year until March 2026. Each Fair has a different programme of activities, some of which may require booking.

Lisa from East London Waste Authority (ELWA) for a Team Repair hands on workshop. The young people will have the opportunity to learn real STEM skills by repairing real gadgets! The workshop will involve providing young people with the tools and knowledge to fix broken gadgets. Learn real STEM skills by repairing real life gadgets!

The gadget will be a retro games console or pocket microscope
Book now to guarantee your place!
Suitable for ages 10 years and over.
Adult supervision is required for the workshops.
Booking is advised but there will be some kits available for some people to join on the day.

Find out more about the Team Repair kits here:
www.team.repair
www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vfs0xjkJBc

Any questions about this workshop please email: campaigns@eastlondonwaste.gov.uk

Boro (more accurately ‘Boro boro’), meaning ‘rags or tatters’ is the art of repairing fabric using scraps and stitching.

In this class you will learn:

- The history and origins of Boro. Examples of vintage Boro and other Japanese textiles collected by the tutor in Japan will be shown and their background explained
- How to repair a garment using scraps, both modern and vintage
- How to use sashiko stitching to enhance your work
- Practice using visible repair to enhance and strengthen textiles
- Applique and reverse applique and a number of decorative stitching techniques will be shown
- A variety of types of Japanese stitches and their application will be presented, with examples on vintage Boro and the tutor’s own work: Nami-nui - running stitch, Hongasesi-nui - backstitch, Mimi-guke - edge stitch, Maki-nui - whip stitch, Chidori-gake - Herringbone stitch, Hashigomatsuri - Ladder / slipstitch

Bring along your poorly sewing machine for some TLC! Can you fix it? YES YOU CAN!

Through this introductory class, you will learn how to look after your machine, common issues and how to fix them. You'll go home with a better understanding of how to keep your machine purring! This session is suitable for all brands of sewing machine (including digital machines).

On completion of this class participants will confidently be able to:

- Replace needles with ease and sort out damage caused by broken needles
- Clean out the lint (fluff) that gathers in the bobbin area
- Understand how the correct needles, thread and bobbins affect your machine hugely
- Understand how the sewing machine works mechanically
- Where and how often to oil
- Aquire practical tips and troubleshoot for your specific sewing machine
- Resolve tension issues
- Change a lightbulb
- Maintenance advice

Bring along broken, damaged or faulty; Bikes, electricals or textiles and join skilled fixers as they help you attempt a repair on your item, for FREE!