Newark Borrow and Repair are a group of like minded volunteers from the Newark area who share a commitment to the principles of sustainability and a determination to make a positive difference to the local environment. We have set up and run three repair cafes so far, on October 18th last year, 17th January and 18th April.
We started meeting at Coreset, a creative community project and art space on Friary Road in Newark, in June 2025, and worked hard to recruit a team of fixers, many of whom are tutors at Newark College, and to advertise the first of our events in October last year, not at all sure what the response was going to be. We were delighted to be busy throughout the afternoon, trying our best to mend people’s broken objects, and since then we have gone from strength to strength. We were pleased to accept a generous donation of £500 from Newark Town Council, which has helped to fund the events, along with equally generous donations from many of those who have attended the cafes.
In the three repair cafes we have hosted to date we have attempted 129 repairs with a 74% success rate, and many of the items we have been unable to fix on the day have had the issue diagnosed and further repairs recommended. This represents a huge amount of stuff kept out of landfill sites. Items whose lifespans we have extended have included toasters, lamps, printers, radios, clocks, kettles, stereos, sewing machines, vacuum cleaners, cameras, trousers, dresses, jumpers, jewellery, bikes and chairs; as well as some more unexpected items such as garden secateurs, electronic drumpads, a butterfly house, 2 large ornate chess pieces, and a sorry looking 57 year old stuffed pig from Singapore with a mangled snout called ‘Square Pig’.
The ethos is not just about sustainability. It is as much about community engagement. Our volunteers have brought along delicious plant based savoury and sweet treats for volunteers and visitors to enjoy with a refreshing cup of tea. Many conversations have been had about the work of the café over a savoury roll, slice of fruit or lemon cake and a peppermint tea. We have forged links with other repair cafes, notably in Lincoln, Sleaford, Ravenshead and Lowdham. We have become aware that we are part of a growing global movement.
Our mission is to offer regular repair events, at least every 2 or 3 months, for the community of Newark and Balderton, to offer a growing variety of items we can mend, including musical instruments. We hope in the future to spread out from our base at Coreset to offer cafes at other venues across the town.
Repair Gallery
