FAQ

The date of the next Burwell Repair Cafe is shown on the home page. The venue will be the Mandeville Hall. Please note that you can bring in any unbooked repairs until 16:00 and we will try to effect a repair.

We aim to hold three Repair Cafes a year - dates will be advertised on this website, the Parish Council website, in the Burwell Clunch magazine, and on the Cambridge Carbon Footprint website.

You can basically bring anything that you can carry and that will not make a mess in the venue.

Here are some suggestions:

• Small electrical appliances

• Bicycles

• Clothing in need of repair

• Small pieces of furniture

• Desktop computers, laptops, printers

• Jewellery that needs cleaning/repairing

• Toys, lamps, items that need glueing.

Whatever it is, book it in and bring it along.

It might not even be broken – just rusty or dirty, and we can help you clean it.

Don't understand the manual? We can help you with that too!

You can even bring several things – though you can only book one item if we are oversubscribed, and you may have to join the queue for subsequent repairs.

You should get an immediate automated response so that you know that the form has been updated and we know about your request. If you do not get this email - note that it may have gone into your junk folder, so check there first - send us an email at burwellrepaircafe@gmail.com.

We do not start allocating time slots until we know which repairers will be attending the event, usually about three weeks before the Repair Cafe.

You should get an email reminding you about the Repair Cafe, and letting you know if we have someone with the appropriate skills to repair your item.

• There may be some correspondence by email if the repairer needs additional information about your repair.

If we do have a suitable repairer, you will either get a timed slot or, if we are really busy, an invitation to bring your item in and wait until a repairer has some free time.

If we don't have anyone suitable we will let you know. It is possible that your item could be repaired at one of the other Repair Cafes in the Cambridge area, so you might want to check the Cambridge Carbon Footprint website for information about when and where they will be taking place.

Please ensure that any items that can get dirty are cleaned/emptied before you bring them in.

This would include:

• vacuum cleaners (empty, wipe inside and out with a damp cloth, and insert a clean bag, if relevant)

• toasters (empty the crumb tray)

• garden strimmers (remove all grass residue and mud)

In addition:

• Make sure that all power cables/leads are present, and that batteries are in a charged state.

• Let us know if you have any spare parts to bring in.

• If the item plays records, cassettes, etc. please bring one so the repairer can check the success of the repair.

• If a monitor, mouse, keyboard are required, please bring these. Otherwise the repairer will be working in the dark.

There are a few types of repair that we are unlikely to be able to deal with.

These currently include:

• Mobile phones (there are lots of commercial repairers in the region)

• Any items that could present a hazard to repairers

• We do not dispose of faulty products - anything that is beyond repair should be taken to an approved Recycling Centre or Local Authority waste Management Centre

• Large or heavy items may not be accepted for repair. Please contact us if you are unsure.

Repairers offer no guarantee on the items or their work. They are not liable if any repaired items do not work properly at home, or break down again in the future.

We provide Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) on all appropriate items to ensure that they are safe to use. Please make sure that you visit the Testing station before you leave with your repair.

Burwell Repair Cafe operates a booking system, using a simple electronic form. This means you can tell us what you're intending to bring, and we can allocate you a time slot with a suitable repairer.

Waiting cannot be totally eliminated even if you have been given a timed slot, as some repairs may take longer than expected.

In the event that all the booking slots have been allocated ahead of the event, we will let you know by email. 

If we are heavily overbooked, we may close the booking system. This will be explained on the website.

You are welcome to turn up without booking, and we will do our best to look at your item. Please note that booked items will take priority.

You may bring several items for repair. Depending on how many repair requests we receive, we may only provide a timed slot for one item, and the others will be booked in individually when you arrive, and will be seen if and when an appropriate repairer is available.

Please make sure that you bring all the necessary power and connecting cables.  If your item uses batteries, please bring working batteries with you.

If we cannot power-up your product, we are unlikely to be able to mend it.

Similarly, if a monitor or controller is required, bring them along so that we know if a repair has been successful.

Repairers may have common low-cost items (e.g. screws, clips, fuses etc) in their Mackay’s toolkit which they can provide.

However, if you need something more substantial, the repairer will help you to identify the part, and suggest where you might be able to order it online – but you will need to book again, and bring everything to the next Repair Cafe (or fit the part yourself if the repairer has shown you how).

If you already know that you may need a spare part (such as a zip or bike brake blocks), include this information in the booking form. We will contact you to discuss any purchases.

On arrival, you will be asked to check in at the reception desk and complete some simple paperwork with one of our volunteers.

Once completed you will either be directed to a suitable repairer or be asked to wait in the seating area until one becomes available. Drinks and cakes are available to purchase.

Once a repairer becomes available they will discuss the fault with you and then attempt to diagnose the problem with your product.

You are encouraged to sit at the repair station whilst your product repair is being undertaken. You may want to discuss the fault, or assist the repairer. We actively encourage visitors to discuss with their repairer what is being done, particularly with items that may have developed a simple fault that you could experience again. You may be able to use this knowledge to help rectify or prevent the same problem occurring in future.

If you find that you can no longer make it to the Repair Cafe, please let us know as soon as possible so that we can help someone else.

• Note that we will still be happy to look at the repair if you can get someone else to bring it in.

If you manage to repair your item - Well Done! - but again, please let us know that you don't need your slot.

You can print out and complete the registration form before the event.

The form can be downloaded.

Yes!

You can enjoy tea and home-made cakes whilst you soak up the lovely atmosphere waiting for a repairer to see your item.

As a Repairer:

We need LOTS of great repairers: including electrical and electronic engineers, mechanical engineers, jewellery repairers, bike repairers, sewing experts, restorers of books/art/ceramics, carpenters and generalists. To register your interest in helping at Burwell Repair Cafes, please complete our form.

You can also join a Repairers Register that lets organisers around Cambridgeshire know the locations you’d prefer, when you might be available and what skills you’d like to share.

As an Organiser:

We need people to help organise and run the events. This includes helping with the refreshments, meeting and greeting, and organising and advertising new events.

If you would like to join our wonderful movement and friendly team then please contact Burwell Repair Cafe at burwellrepaircafe@gmail.com.  You can also find out more from Cambridge Carbon Footprint on 01223 301842 or email Kate at cambridgerepaircafe@gmail.com.