How to organise a Repair Café

A Repair Café is a team effort. Welcome-desk volunteers greet visitors, explain the house rules, register each object and send people to the right table. Repair volunteers guide, they don't fix for others. Support volunteers handle coffee, photos and families, and a coordinator holds it together. Find an accessible room with light and sockets, brief the team before opening, keep repairs to about 30 minutes, and spread the word person to person. The Repair Café Foundation (repaircafe.org) shares a starter manual and posters, and its RepairMonitor helps you record every repair.