June Repair Cafe
Rain stopped play for some visitors on Saturday 6th June, but it didn’t stop the repairs! Although footfall was down to around 200 visitors on a wet day, the repair stations were as busy as ever — and those who braved the weather really came with a purpose.
91 items brought in – 67 Fixed – 14 Repairable – 10 End of Life
That’s a 74% fix rate — one of our best ever — a huge thank you to every volunteer who turned out despite the weather. With volunteer numbers a little lower on the day, several people stepped into new roles and covered stations they hadn’t managed before.
After a Repair Cafe presentation to the Ghurka Veterans Group, it was great to welcome new visitors from the community who overcame language barriers, which enabled them to have repairs done to clothing, electricals & tool sharpening. Thank you to Cllr Dinesh Khadka for working with us on this and if anybody has any connections or ideas that could help us reach more communities then please get in touch.
Fixed Items
From bikes and clothing to ride-on cars and teddy bears, there was a wide range of repairs on the day. The tool sharpening station was particularly popular, with plenty of axes, loppers and garden tools getting a new lease of life. The textile and sewing team were kept busy as usual, and the electrical station drew a steady queue.
Triage Team
Our triage team are the centre of the Repair Cafe operations, managing the initial data collection, allocating repairs to the repairers and checking visitors are happy before they leave.
Team Repair — Retro Games Console
This month’s Team Repair challenge brought something a little different to the table — a retro games console in need of a fix to its buttons and battery. Team Repair is a programme that sparks curiosity through science, technology and repair, teaching children and adults alike to take real gadgets apart and figure out how to fix them. By working with real electronics, participants get hands-on experience of how things work and get the satisfaction of bringing something back to life.
You can find out more about the Team Repair programme at www.team.repair — and book onto our future events here: Team Repair on the Website
What our visitors said
“Amazing as always!”
“Valiant effort, couldn’t save it, but many thanks for your time.”
“I had a very good service. They are so patient & lovely. Thank you so much.”
“We had our bikes fixed & axes sharpened. Thank you very much.”
“Hi, you have amazing volunteers. They are doing an amazing job. Thank you.”
Thank you to everyone who volunteers, visits, exhibits, and supports the Maidstone Repair Cafe and our other Maidstone CAN events and activities. Our members make our work possible.
The Outdoors Zone was buzzing!
Despite the grey skies outside, the Maidstone CAN Zone was lively and full of energy, with 13 organisations bringing the Outdoors theme to life. Visitors engaged enthusiastically with every stand and all exhibitors reported having a fantastic time connecting with the public.
Organisations represented included:
- Bramble Farm Bees — offering bee experiences and sharing the secrets of beekeeping
- Save Oaken Wood — raising awareness of the threat to 75,000 trees and 50 hectares of ancient woodland at Barming
- Fant Nature Reserve — showcasing local wildlife and green spaces
- Maidstone Ramblers — encouraging people to explore the Medway Valley and beyond on foot
- Seaquer — an innovative local project using AI to help people notice, record and protect local nature
- Loose Amenities Association — caring for over 20 acres of meadows and woodland in the Loose Valley
- One You Kent — promoting wellbeing walks and healthier, happier living
- Azeem’s Nature Photo Competition — inspiring budding photographers to capture Maidstone’s natural world
- Big Day Out — showcasing the upcoming 13th June festival
- …and more!
There was also a bonus visitor who proved a big hit with everyone — a very friendly dog who made several rounds of the hall and charmed all the volunteers and visitors alike. 🐾
Following up the National Emergency Briefing
On Monday 8th June, members from the Bearsted and Maidstone NEB screenings gathered at Holy Cross Church, Bearsted for a follow-up discussion on the National Emergency Briefing film.
The group reflected on the impact of the film, debated practical climate actions — using the Climate Action Playing Cards created from responses at both screenings — and discussed how we can collectively make a difference locally and nationally. Key questions explored included how to engage more people, how to get important messages into the media, and how best to engage with our MPs Helen Whately and Helen Grant.
This is just the beginning — more events and more actions are planned, particularly around MP engagement. Watch this space.
Maidstone’s Big Day Out
The second Maidstone’s Big Day Out takes place this Saturday, 13th June, across the entire borough — delivered in partnership with Maidstone CAN and supported by Maidstone Borough Council.
Following last year’s success, when over 30 groups took part and more than 10,000 residents enjoyed activities across Maidstone, we’re delighted to bring the festival back — aligned with the national Great Big Green Week.
It’s a full day of coordinated events giving residents the chance to explore and enjoy the very best of Maidstone’s natural beauty, green spaces, and community-led activities.
👉 Find what’s happening near you
Coming Up
Maidstone CAN Chat — Monday 15th June, 7:00pm, Lockmeadow Foyer
A relaxed and welcoming space to connect, share ideas, and take action for the environment in Maidstone. All welcome.
Maidstone Repair Cafe & CAN Zone — Saturday 4th July, 10am–2pm
Our next event — with the Health theme in the CAN Zone. Come along to get things fixed, explore what Maidstone has to offer for a healthier life, and meet our brilliant team of volunteers. See you there!