Broken toasters, torn clothes and faulty lamps can get a new lease of life when Walton-on-Thames Repair Café CIC opens its doors on Saturday 11 July. The volunteer-led session runs from 10am to 1pm at the Walton Centre for the Community on Manor Road, KT12 2PB, and matches residents with skilled repairers in electrical, mechanical, textile and electronic fields.
Entry is free, though donations are welcome to help cover running costs, and homemade cakes, tea and coffee are available on the day. Appointments must be booked in advance at the three available slots of 10am, 11am and 12 noon. The Love Walton website asks anyone with a broken household item to get in touch first, explaining that repairers work alongside visitors rather than operating a drop-off service.
The café, which meets on the second Saturday of every month, became a registered Community Interest Company in November 2023 and sits within a wider eco hub that also hosts a Library of Things, community fridge and various swap initiatives. Electrical items are safety-tested on arrival and again before they leave, while petrol-driven equipment, valuable antiques, microwaves and patio heaters are among the items the volunteers cannot accept.
The Walton Centre for the Community is owned by Elmbridge Borough Council, which supports repair cafés across the borough as part of its waste‑reduction strategy, and parking is available at the side of the building with disabled bays at the front. A craft corner runs alongside the repairs, where knitters and crafters bring their own projects and offer advice to anyone who drops in.
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