Share and Repair helps local communities save money and reduce waste by repairing, sharing, and reusing everyday items. They recently received grant money towards ten pilot ‘HOW TO’ workshops, teaching people to learn practical skills.
Examples of workshops provided:
Repair, Renew, Rewear: Darning workshop
Sort your jeans out (Adult)
SOS Summer Outfit Surgery
Sew a Cushion Cover Using Sustainable Sewing Materials
HOW TO Use Power Tools and Hand Tools for Beginners
Sort Out Your Jeans (Ages 14–18)
Here are some examples of what was reimagined during the SOS Summer Outfit Surgery:
“It’s been great having the funding to be able to experiment and build on the research we have carried out through our emailing list. It means that we have been able to target the skills that people want to learn and enable us to build relationships with other organisations.
I’m thankful to be part of this project. The funding has allowed us to grow our workshop reach. We have utilised skills from current volunteers and the grant has enabled us to have time to think more strategically about what the community has requested, for example the pluming and basic power tools workshops.
At the local Twerton Fair we asked what skills people wanted to learn – and from this we are now organising a basic plumbing, bike maintenance and maintaining garden furniture workshop.”
Sew a Cushion Cover Using Sustainable Sewing Materials Workshop
Power Tool Workshop
Some feedback that the workshops received:
“At the darning workshop, with a few words of targeted expert advice, I was able to competently repair the holes in the jumpers I had brought along, which was exactly what I wanted. I am very pleased with the results.”
“I wanted to prolong the life of my knitted socks but I wasn't motivated to do it by myself. So, attending this workshop helped. Thanks so much!”
“How could it be improved: there’s no need! It was well organised and structured, as it was with a helpful teacher. It has given me more confidence in using my sewing machine.”
You can read more about BWCE’s community benefit or see other updates from BWCE Fund recipients on our news feed.