Repair Cafe gets funding from GE
MONEY has been granted to the Repair Cafe through Guernsey Electricity’s community fund Power to the People.
Run through the Clean Earth Trust, the Repair Cafe will use the £1,125 grant to train volunteers and obtain equipment and parts.
‘We are delighted to receive this funding from Guernsey Electricity, which will help us to improve the electrical item repair service that we can offer at the Repair Cafe,’ said Camilla Smillie, CET sustainable projects lead.
‘Our goal is to stem the flow of unnecessary electronic waste by helping our community to repair their small household electrical items for free whilst also sharing skills and promoting a “mending mindset”.’
Since its launch at the end of last year, the Power to the People fund has received lots of innovative and interesting applications, said Imogen Berryman, Guernsey Electricity communications specialist.
‘The Repair Cafe’s purpose specifically resonates well with Guernsey Electricity’s environmental vision and our environmental sustainability strategy,’ she said.
Electronics is now the fastest growing waste stream in the world, projected to reach 70m. tonnes per year in 2030, according to Global E-Waste Monitor 2020. Less than 20% of e-waste is recycled, causing a significant loss of resources and raw materials and increasing risk of toxic materials leaching into the environment from landfill.
‘We are pleased to provide this funding to a worthwhile initiative that will help reduce waste by allowing more items to be safely repaired and reused whilst giving important electrical safety skills to volunteers.’
CET congratulated the other recipients of funding – the Lihou Charitable Trust and La Societe Guernesiaise’s bat group.
On Wednesday the UK government announced ‘Right to Repair’ laws which aim to make it easier to secure parts for machinery from suppliers and extend the lifespan of electrical products such as fridges and washing machines.
CET said it was a step in the right direction and hopes to see it extended to cover smaller household items which are commonly brought into repair cafes.
During lockdown repair events have been paused, but advice is available on the Repair Cafe’s Facebook page.
Visit ewastemonitor.info for more information on electronic waste or facebook.com/groups/repaircafecommunityguernsey for repairing advice.
Please get in touch at repaircafe@cleanearthtrust.org if you are good at repairing electrical items and are interested in volunteering for the Repair Cafe.
