The Repair Shop: Make do and mend enthusiasts inspired by hit TV show bringing new life to loved household items all over Calderdale

Repair cafes are starting to pop up all over the borough, offering the chance to reinvigorate much-loved household items and clothing.

Some of their popularity is thanks to BBC TV show The Repair Shop – described as “a heartwarming antidote to throwaway culture” – which sees expert craftspeople bringing loved pieces of family history and the memories they hold back to life.

Part is also down to the drive to help save the climate by trying to save items rather than sending them to landfill.

There have been repair cafes launched in Todmorden, Mytholmroyd and Heptonstall, and now there is also one in Halifax.

Skircoat Repair Cafe held its first session at All Saints Parish Hall on Godfrey Road on Saturday, offering the chance for people to bring in their broken items for volunteer “fixers” to try to mend in return for a donation.

The project is affiliated to Repair Café International - a scheme which began in the Netherlands in 2010.

As well as saving items from landfill, the project aims to promote community connection through bringing people together.

There are currently 2,980 repair cafés internationally and an estimated 53,640 items are fixed every month.

They include the cafes in Mytholmroyd and Heptonstall which have provided advice and support in setting up the Skircoat project.

"It all started last summer with a chance conversation on a local Facebook group about a broken blender which someone wanted to repair instead of throwing away’ says Sarah Frank, one of the Skircoat Repair Cafe organisers.

"We went on a couple of field trips to local repair cafés – it seemed like such a brilliant simple idea as well as lots of fun.

"Next thing we were forming a committee, and it went from there!’

The organising committee also includes residents Rachel Hollingworth and Sean Wallace, Skircoat ward councillor Ann Kingstone, and Jane Simmons and Hazel Bowerman from South Halifax Churches Together – a group which is committed to taking local action to tackle climate change.

As well as helping on the organising committee, Coun Kingstone is lending the project her expert sewing skills as a fixer.

She said: “I’m delighted to be part of this wonderful project – a win for the pocket and the planet.

"We’ve had great support from the local community and it’s exciting to see all the hard work come together.

"More volunteer fixers are welcome for future sessions so if you’re interested please get in touch!"

The volunteers can attempt to fix small electrical and mechanical items, toys, furniture, textiles, and bikes. There are also plans to offer a knife-sharpening service.

Items must be easily portable and white goods and microwaves cannot be accepted.

If you have a broken item and would like to check if a repair can be attempted, you can contact Skircoat Repair Café via their Facebook page or by emailing [email protected].

Running every other month, the next date is Saturday, March 16 from 1.30pm to 4.30pm. There is also a pop-up café which is open to all.