Bring your broken things to Twickenham Repair Café on 18 July

The Twickenham Repair Café opens its doors again on Saturday 18 July, offering free repairs on household items — a useful outing for anyone in Barnes with a broken lamp, a stuck zip or a gadget that's been sitting in a drawer waiting for attention.

There is no charge for the repair itself; instead, the café asks for a donation based on your own judgment of what the time and skill was worth. No booking is needed — just drop in with your item. The only condition is one item per person per visit, so choose your most pressing repair.

While your item is being looked at, there is a café inside serving tea, coffee and homemade cakes, making it a genuinely pleasant way to spend part of a Saturday morning rather than a chore to get through.

The event is held at the Civic Centre, 44 York Street, Twickenham — about 20 minutes from Barnes by bus or a straightforward cycle along the river. Repair cafés are a practical way to extend the life of everyday objects and reduce waste, which fits neatly alongside the borough's Plastic Free July push this month.

Find out more about the Twickenham Repair Café on the Richmond council website.