In celebration of our 100th repair cafe signed up to our network, Alex Prince has written a beautiful poem for us. The poem has also been read alongside photographs from across our network in the video below.
100
One hundred communities make up the team,
all ages, backgrounds, connections made,
in hubs, halls and centres, volunteers the heart –
beat of a village, a city, a town.
Wellbeing is grown, built-up and shared
with cake and tea and care. Welcomed
into warmth, a place you belong,
where new life is given to the everyday.
New life, a second life, make do and mend,
reuse, repurpose, saving you cash,
these givers of time, givers of skill,
giving your items another shot.
Keep things out of the bin, from filling the land,
save resources, take less from our Earth,
save that useful thing, make it handy again,
save that treasure, precious memory preserved.
Take your toaster, kettle, shoe or toy,
your spectacles, vacuum, lawn mower, clock,
your radio, scales, shirt or doll,
your amp, your game, pyjamas, torch.
A fixer waits, their needle ready,
their solder or pliers poised to help,
where difference connects, each plays their part,
endeavour surrounds clever fingers at work.
See inside. See secret worlds within
your well-known thing. Then, fixed,
handed back, see light fill your eyes,
another repair, well made.
Another repair café, well made.
