Bad at DIY? Too many broken items? A new Portsmouth café can help you out

City crafters will soon take on the task of breathing new life into broken items when they set up Repair Café Portsmouth.

Started in the Netherlands in 2009, the initiative invites residents to take defunct belongings to a monthly meeting – where expert repairers can fix them for free.

Clare Seek is spearheading the drive’s introduction in Portsmouth.

She said: ‘I have had this idea for ages so it’s really exciting to see it come to fruition. Money can be tight for people these days and I am all about making use of what you have.

‘Repair Café Portsmouth will help people do just that, while offering a social space where they can come along and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee as well.’

Repair Café Portsmouth will run from Buckland United Reformed Church in Kingston Road.

Organisers hope its first public event will run on Saturday, April 21 and will attract fixers and visitors of all ages.

Ms Seek said: ‘Having visited another Repair Café, what stood out most was the people it brought together.

‘An older person could come in and teach a young person a useful skill, or vice-versa, and the result was a productive and social space everyone could enjoy.’

Ahead of its launch, Repair café Portsmouth is looking for more volunteers to offer up their handiwork and join its ranks.

Ms Seek added: ‘If you have a repair skill you would like to put to good use or pass on, please get in touch.’

Repair Café Portsmouth will run every third Saturday of the month between 10.30am and 1pm.

To get involved, visit repaircafeportsmouth.org.uk.