Repair Café Support Fund publishes first year results, £16,000 awarded
15 repair cafe locations have received financial support through the scheme in its first 12 months.
Launched in March 2024 by waste operator enfinium, the Repair Café Support Fund will run for three years, during which time it will invest £60,000 into circular initiatives across the UK.
In the inaugural year, 15 cafes across England and Wales have received money to cover operating costs, rent, new equipment, or training. Schemes that support and raise awareness, particularly among young people, have also been given support.
Collectively, 758 items have been saved from landfill through the chosen cafes. These include a 60-year-old carriage clock and radar gun, among many others. Now closed for the festive break, the Repair Café Support Fund will reopen for funding applications on 1st January 2025 and run until 31st May 2025. To be eligible for support, cafes need to be in a 30-mile radius of enfinium facilities in in Kent, North Wales (applications welcome from the regions of; Conwy, Denbighshire, Flintshire, Gwynedd and the Isle of Anglesey), West Yorkshire, or the West Midlands. Each cafe is entitled to up to £1,500 per year.
‘The support from enfinium’s Repair Café Support Fund has enabled us to make improvements in our Repair Café that we wouldn’t have otherwise been able to afford ,’ said Jon O’Connor, Chair of Trustees at the Folkestone Repair Cafe. ‘This funding has allowed us to offer a better service, providing our community with even more efficient and effective repairs. It’s been a huge boost, enabling us to reach more people, reduce waste, and strengthen our role in supporting a more sustainable and connected local community. We would encourage any repair cafés considering applying to absolutely do so.’
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Image: Joel Rohland via Unsplash