Dozens of visitors with dozens of pre-loved items, along with a team of a dozen-and-a-half volunteer fixers, continue to keep the Sidmouth Repair Café moving along very well every fourth Saturday of the month.

At last month's session there was the usual mixture of things brought in – from precious items needing gluing back together, including the cockerel that lost a foot, to kettles, hoovers, exploding heat trays, scales, scooters, bikes, boots, clocks, a Christmas tree and lots of toys and teddies.

However, not everything can be repaired straight away, as the right parts need to be obtained, and some items cannot be fixed at all, despite the team’s best efforts.

One visitor said: “It was a kind and diligent mender who was determined to try and fix the toaster - many thanks, but it was a dead toaster! At least we know it's dead!”

Sidmouth Herald:

On the other hand, the story of the ‘proggy rug’ that fixer Marion had spent so much of her time on over the last months is at last finished. The owner had brought in the rag rug, made by her grandmother in North Yorkshire more than 70 years ago, back in November, and it has finally been restored.

The owner was so impressed with the Repair Café’s work that she presented the team with another tricky project: a pair of Norwegian slippers that her son had given her following his travels away in the forces, with enormous holes in them. Volunteer Jenny said: “Always a challenge going on at the Repair Cafe!” A volunteer added: “Great to see this wonderful initiative continuing to flourish.”

The next Repair Café will be on Saturday, March 25 between 10am and 1pm at the Youth Centre in Manstone, and fixer Dave has asked for fewer electrical items to be brought along to this session:

“We have two fewer electronic fixers at the next café with both regulars unable to make it – so we have less capacity to fix electrical equipment this coming Saturday.”

Otherwise, the team look forward to helping visitors repair almost anything. Entry is free, but donations are always welcome. And there is an actual café, which adds to the friendly community atmosphere.