The Plas in Machynlleth will be buzzing again on Sunday as the twice-yearly Cymhorthfa (Repair and Share Fair) returns.

Cymhorthfa means a place to get help. Between 10.30am and 3.30pm, help at Y Plas will focus on avoiding waste, mending, putting things to good use and having fun by trying out something new.

Ecodyfi has brought together several community groups in the Dyfi Biosphere to provide an antidote to the ‘throwaway society’.

Over 400 people attended the first Cymhorthfa in May 2018, and hundreds more enjoyed the October event. Many of them brought household and garden items to be mended by volunteers in the Repair Cafe that forms part of the event.

The biggest group of things consisted of lamps, radios, fairy lights and other small electrical items, and the second busiest set of menders and advisers were those dealing with computers.

This year, John Behnan’s IT support desk will be bolstered by enthusiasts from Aberystwyth University who are expert in the Linux open-source operating system.

Machynlleth Community Bike Workshop volunteers will be fixing troublesome gears as well as providing help and tools so that people can learn how to mend their own bikes, and visitors might even be able to sell or buy good value bikes at the event.

Children’s activities will include arts and crafts, and Mid-Wales Refugee Action’s ‘ReDress the Balance’ will invite people to dress up in outrageous second hand clothes.

More information is available at http://repairfair.ml/ and through an event on Facebook.

See this week’s Machynlleth & Llanidloes paper for the full story, available in shops and as a digital edition now