Love Haslemere Hate Waste’s Repair Cafe, held at the new venue of The Swan Inn in Haslemere, got off to a great start in the new year.

Residents brought in a wide range of items for repair, including Christmas decorations that had been damaged during the busy festive season.

These items included two sets of Christmas lights and a music box with a miniature Santa on top, which had a broken lid that was sanded down and fixed with wood glue.

The cafe’s ‘Ministry of Menders’ also took in a lamp, a steam iron, a hand blender, and an old-style record player that had sentimental value for its owners.

The record player had an incorrectly-rated power supply, which was fixed by Eric Willner using parts from his collection. The family had previously tried to repair the player but had failed, so they turned to the Repair Cafe and were able to have it fixed on the spot.

Repairer David Hutcheson tackled an ornamental vase that had significant damage. He used the correct glue for porcelain repairs and was able to fix the vase on site, much to the delight of the owners.

The event also welcomed a new repairer, Julien Blanc, an e-commerce director who is skilled in repairing electronics and other similar items.

The Repair Cafe is actively seeking new members to join their team of menders, and welcomes anyone interested to get in touch.

The Repair Cafe will continue to be held at The Swan Inn on the first Saturday of every month from 10am to 1pm. The next event will be held on February 4, and all are welcome to bring items for repair or simply to chat with the friendly repair team.