Things to do in Portsmouth and Hampshire: Library of Things officially opens in Cascades Shopping Centre

By Sophie Lewis
Published 13th May 2023, 15:59 BST
Updated 13th May 2023, 16:00 BST
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Cascades has welcomed a new addition to the shopping centre this morning.

Library of Things, which is run by the team at Repair Cafe, has opened its very first permanent site after operating as a pop-up event once a month for the past few years.

The new site, which is located next door to Sports Direct in Cascades, will give people the opportunity to borrow household items and electricals that are not necessarily used everyday.

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The idea behind the Library of Things is to help free up space in people’s homes, as well as helping families save money and live in a sustainable way.

Portsmouth's first 'library of things' will open in the Cascades Shopping Centre this weekend (May 13). Run by the repair cafe, the facility will allow people to borrow tools and appliances rather than owning them. Pictured is Clare Seek the organiser. Picture: Sam Stephenson.Portsmouth's first 'library of things' will open in the Cascades Shopping Centre this weekend (May 13). Run by the repair cafe, the facility will allow people to borrow tools and appliances rather than owning them. Pictured is Clare Seek the organiser. Picture: Sam Stephenson.
Portsmouth's first 'library of things' will open in the Cascades Shopping Centre this weekend (May 13). Run by the repair cafe, the facility will allow people to borrow tools and appliances rather than owning them. Pictured is Clare Seek the organiser. Picture: Sam Stephenson.

Clare Seek is the woman behind the idea and she also established The Repair Cafe, which is where volunteers try to fix broken household items to give them a new lease of life. This is to try and prevent wastefulness and both the cafe and the library are run by volunteers.

Today (May 13), the team came together to officially open the brand new site and welcome locals in to have a look at what they have been working on for the past few weeks.

Clare said: ‘It is great and we have had so many people supporting us. We have had a lovely reaction from other businesses and it is nice to bring something different to Cascades.

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‘This is taking it to a whole other level because we want to be obvious to people. Before we were a pop up in a church once a month.

‘I am a believer that if you say something out loud and get on making it happen, it will work. I believe that there is so much abundance – people are giving their time and their skills to us and donating things they can. Sometimes all you have to do is ask.’

The opening event had a brilliant response and saw dozens of people gather and celebrate the idea.

Councillor Suzy Horton, Cabinet Member for Children, Families & Education, said: ‘This is great isn’t it – Clare did an opening of the Library of Things and I went along and it was amazing.

‘She is incredible, she is the driving force behind all of this and she knows what she wants to do – She is the cog that makes it all work.’

Related topics:PortsmouthHampshire