FARNHAM’S very own Repair Café, which aims to protect and safeguard the environment by reducing waste disposal, has received charity status.

The community resource, which promotes the repair and reuse of products, is a collaboration between The Centre for Sustainable Design at the University for the Creative Arts, Farnham Town Council, Farnham United Reformed Church and Transition Town Farnham - and is a part of the global repair cafe movement, led by Repair Café International Foundation.

Visitors are invited to bring their broken products, which are then assessed and, where possible, repaired by volunteers.

Farnham Repair Café is open on every second Saturday of the month and offers advice and repairs on all kinds of products, from vacuum cleaners, headphones and lights, to hats, jackets, pushchairs and bicycles.

Professor Martin Charter, director of the Centre for Sustainable Design and chairman of the board of trustees of Farnham Repair Café, said: “Farnham Repair Café is a fantastic resource for the community.

“Not only is it a useful tool providing community benefits to the town’s residents, but it also protects the environment and is enabling Farnham to take a more sustainable outlook.

“Our repairers are highly skilled and do a brilliant job. To date we have organised 25 sessions, with more than 1,000 visitors through the doors since our launch in 2015.

“We have completed 299 repairs at a 63 per cent rate with over 900 kg being diverted from landfill. 

“There are around 30 repair cafes in the UK, and I believe we are the first to get charity status. The concept of repair cafes is growing, and there are now between 1,800 and 2,000 globally.

“It is great to have received charity status as it means that the repair café can continue to support and benefit the needs of our community.”