Cerbytu: Denbigh Repair Cafe x Angela Davies
When we think of repair, we often think about saving money or keeping something out of the bin. But in Denbigh, North Wales, a small group of makers and fixers from Denbigh Repair Café have been teaming up and are showing that repair can be so much more than that, it can be creative, surprising, and even beautiful. Artist Angela Davies knows this better than most. Inspired by memories of her dad rescuing old electronics from the local skip shop, Angela has always believed there is hidden value in the things we throw away. During her Future Wales Fellowship, she took this idea further by working with local volunteers from the Denbigh Repair Café, the volunteers here give their time and skills to help fix broken household items for their community and it’s opened a new door for fixing and reusing our broken items and creating something new.
What began as simple fixing soon turned into something bigger. Together with a small group of local makers, engineers and artists, now known as Cerbytu… A collective made up of members Angela Davies, Phil Adey, Iona Roberts & Richard Rowley Williams. With thanks to Andrew Coomber, Christopher Smith, Beverley & Ann Bowen Jones for earlier engagement and contributions. Angela started exploring how waste could be turned into something entirely new. Beyond reusing materials, the work challenges us to rethink waste, they don’t just fix broken things, they reimagined them with the potential possibilities of waste items becoming something else.
One of their early experiments turned discarded bits and local wool into wool spinner, a connection to the new and old systems of working. Along the way, they talked about local resources, energy use, and how repairing can connect people, ideas and skills across generations. Using a variety of people’s different skills, knowledge and experience they were all able to work together and combine their multidisciplinary ideas.
Cerbytu has been meeting for nearly three years now, turning unwanted electronics and textiles into creative new objects. Their work reminds us that what we throw away might still have a future, not just as the same thing repaired, but as something completely different.
Now, Angela and Cerbytu are dreaming about what comes next. One idea is The Library of Ideas, a community workshop where people could bring old electronics or textiles and work together to create something new. Imagine turning a broken toy into a new game, or giving an old jumper a whole new life. There might be stations for stitching, soldering, and learning new skills, all in a fun, friendly space where ideas can grow.
While this new project is still taking shape, the idea behind it is clear, repairing isn’t just about saving money, it’s about sharing, learning, and finding beauty in what we already have.
As Iona, one of Cerbytu’s members, puts it:
“I’ve enjoyed taking part even though I didn’t think it was for me at first. Working with wool and fleece showed me what we could make. I’m excited for what we do next.”
In Denbigh, the humble act of fixing is being reimagined as something playful, thoughtful and full of hope. With projects like this, broken things aren’t just saved, they’re transformed into something useful with a brand new purpose.
Keep an eye out for news of The Library of Ideas!
