Bring broken items to Petersfield’s free Repair Café

demoduck.co.uk editorial team 2026-08-27 15:12 2 min read

Modern building with signage, representing a community space for local public service initiatives.

On the last Saturday of each month, the Petersfield Repair Café invites the public to bring broken items to Avenue Pavilion. The community workshop is free and open to everyone. According to East Hampshire District Council, it was set up by Petersfield Climate Action Network (PeCAN) and is run by local volunteers.

When: The last Saturday of each month
Where: Avenue Pavilion, Petersfield
Cost: Free
Entry: Open to the public

Volunteers pair repairs with hands-on learning

Visitors can bring an item for volunteers to examine or repair, but the café has a second purpose: helping people learn how repairs are done. PeCAN wants visitors to gain skills that may enable them to start fixing things themselves rather than immediately replacing them.

Keeping an item in use reduces its environmental impact, delays the point at which it enters the recycling process and can save the owner the cost of a replacement. The format turns those aims into a regular, practical activity rather than a one-off talk or campaign.

More than 200 visitors have tested the idea

More than 200 people have brought over 150 items to the Petersfield Repair Café so far. The council’s figures refer to items that were looked at or repaired, so they should not be read as confirmation that every object was successfully fixed.

Bring broken items to Petersfield’s free Repair Café

The turnout gives PeCAN a growing base for its volunteer-led repair work. It also shows the difference between visitor numbers and objects handled: some people may attend without bringing an item, while others can take part in the learning side of the workshop.

£10,000 funding backed a wider PeCAN programme

The café was supported through a £10,000 grant from East Hampshire District Council’s Community Climate Action Fund. That money backed a wider PeCAN programme of public engagement, including weekly and monthly events, rather than being allocated solely to the repair project.

Councillor Robert Mocatta said climate action networks provide residents with practical support for reducing their environmental impact. PeCAN team leader Patricia Exley said the funding had helped the organisation reach more residents and expand its volunteer base.

Planning a visit to Avenue Pavilion

The council notice does not provide an exact start time, a full street address, transport guidance or accessibility information. It also does not describe an advance-booking process beyond confirming that the free workshop is open to the public.

Visitors therefore have one firm recurring date to plan around: the final Saturday of each month at Avenue Pavilion. Exley has encouraged people to attend on that monthly date and make use of the volunteer repair service.

Source: East Hampshire District Council News

Context & actions About this article

Source check Source trail

Event logistics, participation figures and funding context were retained from the supplied council source and event details.

Checks

The recurring last-Saturday date and Avenue Pavilion venue match the council notice.
Free public entry was retained from the supplied event details without adding a booking re...
The figures of more than 200 visitors and over 150 items were kept distinct.
The £10,000 grant was described as supporting PeCAN’s wider programme, not only the repair...

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