Repair Café
Our Repair Café is a free community event where skilled volunteers help repair household items. It’s a welcoming community space where you can bring broken items, enjoy a cuppa and cake, and have them fixed by our skilled volunteers. Instead of throwing things away, let’s repair, reuse, and learn valuable skills together!
How it works
Bring along your broken item and join the exciting experience of repairing. While letting our friendly volunteers check it over, repair it on the spot or show you how to fix it yourself, enjoy a cuppa and pick up valuable tips. While repairs aren’t guaranteed, you may gain new skills, expert advice, and perhaps even get the chance to share a few of your own along the way.
What can we repair?
We cover a wide range of everyday items — here’s a guide to what you can bring along:
Textiles
Fabric repairs such as zips, seams, buttons, hems, and patching
Computers
Laptops, tablets, and desktops with basic hardware or software issues
Pushbikes
Puncture repairs, brake and gear adjustments.
Jewellery & Glasses
Fixing broken clasps, reattaching chains, tightening frames, or replacing screws.
Small Furniture
Chairs, stools, and other workbench-sized pieces that need joints tightened or small fixes.
Small household items
Wooden, porcelain, and ceramic items that can be glued, filled, or restored.
Small electircal appliances
Everyday appliances like lamps, toasters, kettles, radios, and similar items.
Please don’t bring cars, large white goods or microwaves. If you have any questions about what to bring, please get in touch. Email Sue at [email protected]
Why It Matters
- Environmental: reduce waste, save items from landfill.
- Social: bring people together, share skills, empower people to fix rather than replace – Reduce social isolation
- Financial: save money on replacing items.
Preventing waste and learning new skills is vital. Our strength relies on community resilience.
Our impact in 2025
Across our Repair Café sessions in the Highlands, our volunteers have been working hard to fix everyday items and keep them out of landfill. Here’s what we achieved together in 2025.
Donate
Our Repair Café is run by the community, for the community. We rely on donations, which help us buy spare parts and tools, as well as fund cakes and coffee.
- 09:00 - 12:00
- 09:00 - 12:00
Join us
Regular schedule 9am – 12noon – (for more information please get in touch with Sue, our Repair Café co-ordinator). We are honoured to be hosted by multiple venues across the Highlands. Please see our calendar for our upcoming locations.
Testimonials
Supported By
Get involved
We all have a skill to share. Come along and experience the teamwork behind it all. If it feels like the right fit for you, please reach out to Sue or have a chat with her on the day.
Do you have repair skills or just a passion for helping others? We’re looking for enthusiastic volunteers to join our Repair Café team! Whether you’re handy with tools, great at sewing, or simply want to lend a hand with tea and cakes, we’d love to hear from you.
As a volunteer, Sue will guide you through an induction and complete the necessary forms, in alignment with ILM Highland policy, to ensure we remain compliant and legally covered.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do we have to book before we come?
No, it is a walk in service and sometimes you might have to wait a turn but we try and get everyone seen to in the morning. If not, we can see you at the next RC.
Can you fix microwaves?
We do not fix items that have capacitors as they pose a danger to anyone handling a faulty item. Even experienced electricians find it tricky and dangerous.
Can you fix big items like washing machines?
Unfortunately we do not have the space to fix big items like washing machines and tumble dryers, but ILM Highland in Alness can pick it up for you, asses for reuse or recycle it responsibly.
Is it a paid service? Do you send invoices?
No, the Repair Cafe runs on donations. If you have little or no cash, not to worry, this is why we are here, there is no obligation to pay for the services we can offer to you. Donations are welcome as it keeps the tea/coffee and cake available for the next RC.
What happens if you break the item I brought to fix?
We aim to check the item before repair to make sure we can fix it. Sometimes things are beyond repair. We have experienced volunteers who do their best but this is why it is important that you are with our volunteers when fixing, they can explain the problems, and give you advice as to what to do next.