FAQ

The next Burwell Repair Cafe will take place between 13:30 and 16:30 on Saturday 4th February 2023. The venue will be the Mandeville Hall. Please note that no new drop-in repairs will be accepted on the day after 16:00.

We aim to hold four 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, and 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. If you do not get this email - note that it may have gone into your junk folder, so check there first - please 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 then get an email 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, 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.

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

These include:

• Mobile phones

• 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 hope to provide Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) on all appropriate items to ensure that they are safe to use.

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 as some repairs may take longer than the allocated slot.

In the event that all the booking slots have been allocated ahead of the event, we will let you know through this 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 take priority.

You may bring up to three items for repair. Only one can be pre-booked, and the others will be booked in individually when you arrive, and will be seen 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

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).

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 (cash only).

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 cake whilst you soak up the lovely atmosphere waiting for a repairer to see your item.

Please note, however, that we only accept cash.

As a Repairer:

We need LOTS of great repairers: including electrical and electronic engineers, mechanical engineers, jewellery repairers, bike repairers, sewers, 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.