Second pop-up repair cafe set to get up and running in Co Antrim

NORTHERN Ireland is to get its second repair cafe — where people bring their broken items to be fixed — next month following the success of a group in Belfast.

Founded by Martine Postma, who organised the first ever repair cafe in Amsterdam in 2009, they have gone on to become a worldwide hit.

Repair cafes are essentially a series of free pop-up meetings held within communities which are dedicated to encouraging visitors to come along and repair everything from damaged clothes to broken bicycles.

The volunteer-led events have experts on hand with repair skills in many different fields, while visitors are also encouraged to fix their own items.

With over 1,500 repair cafe’s worldwide, including a number throughout the UK and the Republic, Belfast launched its first event back in December 2017 and has been growing from strength to strength ever since.

The group has held over 15 events.

Now it has announced it is bringing the movement to the Antrim and Newtownabbey council area.

In a post yesterday on Repair Cafe Belfast’s Facebook page, they said they are “beyond excited” to unveil its second repair cafe.

“So amazing to see the repair love spreading around Northern Ireland. Let’s bring on this #RepairRevolution,” they said.

“If you are in the neighbourhood and want to help get a regular repair cafe up and running in Antrim and Newtownabbey borough, please do go along and get inspired.”

The latest repair cafe is still in the initial planning stages, with the group appealing on social media for volunteers with a range of skills to get in touch with them.

Volunteers involved in marketing are also being sought as well as those who would like to be involved serving refreshments or socialising with members of the public.

A member of the Antrim and Newtownabbey group said: “It’s an exciting time. We’re at the very early stages of its development and are looking forward to the next stage which is the information session at Ballyclare town hall on September 10.

“We’re hoping that we’ll meet lots of interested volunteers who will help us to establish and grow the repair cafe”.

More information can be found on twitter and Facebook @RepairCafeAN.