Shipston on Stour Repair Cafe Launches

The new Shipston on Stour Repair Café has launched at the Community Hub on the Ellen Badger Hospital site, offering residents a welcoming space to repair broken household items, reduce waste and bring memories back to life.

The Café opened on Saturday 11 April, running from 10am to 2pm, with repairs accepted until 1pm. Volunteers were on hand to help with a wide range of repairs, including bikes, small electrical items, mechanical fixes, woodwork and general household repairs. Refreshments and cakes were available to purchase, with donations welcomed to support the project.

The launch exceeded expectations, with more visitors than anticipated and most items successfully repaired or given expert advice. The very first repair of the day was a young girl’s bike – a perfect start for a community‑focused initiative.

One particularly moving moment came when a woman brought in an old dictaphone, hoping to hear her late husband’s voice, recorded decades ago when their daughter was 12. Although the dictaphone could not be repaired, a volunteer successfully removed the stuck micro-tape, which will now be taken to a specialist to be digitised.

Another important repair involved a Moses basket from the Bluebell Birthing Centre at Warwick Hospital. Catherine, a local midwife who runs the monthly Saturday breastfeeding group in the Toy Library, brought the basket along. It has now been restored and returned to use.

Kirsty Holder, Chief Executive of SHWP (Stour Health and Wellbeing Partnership), said:

“It’s been wonderful to see the Repair Café launch so successfully in Shipston. Projects like this strengthen communities, reduce waste and encourage people to share skills locally.”

With the support of South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust (SWFT), Stratford-on-Avon District Council, Biffa, and Krinkels, the Café was launched in record time.

The Café also recruited six new volunteers on the day and raised nearly £90 in donations. Organisers are keen to hear from anyone with skills in tool sharpening or textile repair, such as sewing and mending, who would like to volunteer, please contact hello@shwp.org.uk

The next Shipston Repair Café will take place on 9 May at Ellen Badger Hospital.