Machynlleth Repair Café has been hitting the headlines recently, thanks to an upsurge in recycling, a downturn in the economy and European Union ‘Right to repair’ proposals.

All of these things have helped to kindle fresh public interest in keeping, rather than throwing away, so many items, and repair cafés are at the forefront of community efforts to address this problem.

What do you do with a broken toaster? Or with some jeans full of holes? Bin it? No way!

Ecodyfi volunteers are tackling the problem with the Machynlleth Repair Café which has proved so popular, it is fast becoming a regular fixture in the town’s calendar, leading to a commitment to run a session on the third weekend of every other month.

The most recent Machynlleth Repair Café took place on Saturday, 19 January, at the Owain Glyndwr Institute and, once again, coincided with a session of the popular Machynlleth Community Bike Workshop.

Volunteer repair experts were on hand to help make all possible repairs free of charge.

Tools and materials were also made available. People visiting the repair café brought along their broken items from home including lamps, hair dryers, clothes and Christmas toys. Anything broken was welcome.

The aim of the organisers of the Machynlleth Repair Café is to help to reduce mountains of waste, save money and resources, build the community, and reduce CO2 emissions.

Machynlleth Repair Café relies on volunteers, and ecodyfi is appealing for more people to help with the running of the events.

Ecodyfi is able to spend some time developing the repair café due to a small grant from Bro Dyfi Community Renewables – the co-op that owns the two community wind turbines above Pantperthog.

The project started in May 2017.

Speaking to the Cambrian News then, Lucy Morus-Baird of ecodyfi, which helped to set up the café said: “We throw away piles of stuff in Wales, even things which have practically nothing wrong with them, and which could easily be used again after a simple repair.

“Many people have forgotten they can have things repaired. Machynlleth Community Bike Workshop has started to change that culture and the repair café wants to build on that.”

Speaking to us now, Andy Rowland, ecodyfi manager said: “I’m very pleased with the enthusiasm and commitment being shown by the volunteer ‘fixperts’ that make the repair café possible.

"It’s very generous of them to give up the best part of a Saturday, but they do seem to enjoy the community aspect as well as the challenges of mending.

"The first Repair & Share Fair was a real eye-opener - people from all walks of life popping in and having fun through participating.”

To volunteer or to find out more, contact ecodyfi or use the Machynlleth Repair Café page on Facebook.

Read the full feature in this week’s Cambrian News, on sale now