After a day helping at the Big Fix, some strong images remain.

There were the two young women modelling second-hand garments they had bought while Traid volunteers nipped and tucked until they fitted perfectly – a veritable fashion show.

Traid clothing repair

And the man who had brought his much-loved elderly vacuum cleaner which had stopped working. A fixing volunteer helped him to search online for a part that needed replacing, and in the process found an identical model being sold for £10 by someone living nearby, so the happy customer went off to collect it, keeping his old one for future spares.

Hackney Fixers

A bike brought in by a young child with her mother received expert attention from the bike fixers and the last that was seen of the child, she was gleefully flying along the pavement on her perfectly-tuned and lubricated steed!

Hackney Bike Workshop

ecoACTIVE the education project which uses active approaches to sustainability issues came with bags full of ‘waste’ fabrics and haberdashery to craft a new banner for Hackney Fixers. First children, then adults waiting their turn for electrical repairs, joined in making letters decorated with zips, buttons, knitting, lace and embroidery to create a unique and eye-catching banner.

And in a corner, people were trying out a new online Repair Directory, which can be used to find a reliable local repair shop therestartproject.org/repairdirectory

But my main impression was of lots of people leaving happy and keen to share their experiences – some, of things repaired, others, knowing how to approach the repairs themselves, how to source the parts they needed, or just knowing that in their case the object had had a full life and it was time to move on.

Thanks to Mark Phillips for the photos.

Hackney Fixers is looking for people to join the team, helping with and planning events.

The next Restart Party (electrical and clothing repair) is on 27 October at Homerton Library hackneyfixers.org.uk