New Home for Berkhamsted’s Repair Café

Berkhamsted’s popular Repair Café is relaunching at a new venue next month, allowing it to extend the valuable service it offers the local area.

Berko Repair Café, established in 2021 at Open Door Community Space, enables local residents to bring their broken belongings to be fixed, free of charge. From 4 October 2025, the Repair Café will be based at Northchurch Social Centre, just off the high street in Northchurch. The team of skilled volunteers will offer their expertise to fix everything from electrical appliances and clothing to bikes, toys and tools.

Running on the first Saturday of the month from 9.30am-12.30pm, customers can enjoy drinks and refreshments while they wait for their items to be fixed, but are also encouraged to get involved and learn repair skills themselves.

Richard Frankel, one of the founders of the Berko Repair Café, said: ‘We’ve seen a real demand for our services since we launched – lots of local people are keen to do their bit to help tackle climate change and save money, getting their things repaired instead of seeing them go into landfill.

‘We are really excited about the move to Northchurch Social Centre as it means we have more space to extend our service, plus parking makes it easier for people to bring a wider range of items, and larger items, for repair.’

Customers are invited to give a donation towards their repair, to help cover costs of the initiative and support a range of local charities. If something cannot be fixed, the Repair Café team can advise on how to recycle or dispose of it properly.

Jane Kendall, one of the repairers, said, ‘When I heard that a Repair Café was being set up in Berkhamsted I was delighted to be included in the amazingly talented team of volunteers – woodworkers, sewing team, engineers, jewellery workers and electrical experts.

‘The Saturday mornings are a real joy – never knowing who, or what, is going to arrive as we open the doors! The buzz of people and children, and the stories behind many of the items, contribute to the endless satisfaction of rescuing and repairing things.’

The Repair Café has made over 1,000 repairs to date, and runs in partnership with EcoBerko & Northchurch Social Centre as well as being part of an international network of Repair Cafes that aims to reduce landfill waste, save resources, and promote a circular economy.

Cllr Caroline Smith-Wright, Dacorum Borough Council Portfolio Holder for Climate and Ecological Emergency said: ‘The Berkhamsted Repair Café is a brilliant example of community action tackling the climate and ecological emergency. By extending the life of everyday items, we cut down on waste, save resources, and reduce carbon emissions – all while bringing people together to share skills and knowledge.

‘It is these kinds of local initiatives that make a real difference for our planet, while also bringing volunteers and communities together. I’m so thrilled to support the Repair Café here in Berkhamsted and a huge thank you to the skilled residents whose clever hands and kind hearts give broken things a second life.’

Frankel concludes: ‘Whether you’re handy with spanner, have a background in electronics, an interest in woodwork; or you might be able to help serving cake or welcoming customers, don’t hesitate to get in contact and find out how you can get involved.’

Residents are invited to visit the Repair Cafe at Northchurch Social Centre between 9.30am-12.30pm on Saturday 4 October and every first Saturday of the month thereafter – no need to book, just drop in!

Visit www.ecoberko.uk/repair-cafe for more information and to learn about how it works on the day.