enfinium, a leading UK energy from waste operator, today confirms that 15 Repair Cafés, across the UK, have received funding during the first year of its Repair Café Support Fund.
Launched in March 2024, the Repair Café Support Fund, totaling £60,000 over three years, was established to support community-led Repair Cafés near to enfinium’s facilities. The fund helps these initiatives repair household items for free, reducing waste sent to landfill and saving local residents money.
At the end of the first year, the initiative has committed £16,079 in funding to aid the work of 15 Repair Cafés across England and Wales. Through its funding, enfinium has helped support the 15 Repair Cafés to cover their operating costs, including rent, invest in new equipment, or upskill their volunteers. It has also supported initiatives to encourage youth participation, to foster awareness and understanding of repair in the next generation. Over the course of this year, the Repair Cafés have repaired 758 items.
Among the 758 items repaired by the Cafés this year were many unique and sentimental items, including a 60-year-old carriage clock, an ornate egg, a banjo, a melodeon, and a radar gun. Notable repairs included a vintage record player belonging to a blind repair café attendee with a deep appreciation for music, and a bronze bust capturing an individual with long hair for the last time around the time of their cancer diagnosis.
enfinium’s Repair Café Support Fund will reopen on 1 January 2025 and run until 31 May 2025. Eligible Repair Cafés, within a 30-mile radius of one of enfinium’s facilities in Kent, North Wales (applications welcome from the regions of; Conwy, Denbighshire, Flintshire, Gwynedd and the Isle of Anglesey), West Yorkshire, or the West Midlands, can apply for funding of up to £1,500 per annum before the May 2025 deadline. If you would like to learn more about the Repair Café Support Fund, or apply for funding, please visit the project website Repair Café or email communityfunding@enfinium.co.uk.
Philip Curds, Head of ESG & Sustainability at enfinium, said: “At enfinium, we are proud to support local community repair initiatives through our Repair Café Support Fund. Repair Cafés play a critical role in reducing waste and promoting the circular economy in the communities in which we operate.
Through the fund, we support communities to extend the life of their loved items, save money, and importantly, divert waste from landfill. We are delighted with the success of the first year and look forward to welcoming applications from more repair cafés in the coming year.”
Jon O’Connor, Chair of Trustees at the Folkestone Repair Cafe, said “The support from enfinium’s Repair Café Support Fund has enabled us to make improvements in our Repair Café that we wouldn’t have otherwise been able to afford. This funding has allowed us to offer a better service, providing our community with even more efficient and effective repairs. It’s been a huge boost, enabling us to reach more people, reduce waste, and strengthen our role in supporting a more sustainable and connected local community. We would encourage any repair cafés considering applying to absolutely do so.”
