Free bike, sewing machine, electrical and textile repairs in Derry

The events will take place next week during Repair Week, which runs from March 3 to 9, but most sessions have to be booked in advance.

Among the free events taking place locally is a Sewing Machine Rescue event at Repair & Share Foyle Headquarters, Unit 9e1, Rathmore Business Park on Tuesday March 4, 7pm to 9pm. The same venue will also host a Repair Café on Saturday, March 8, 10.30am – 12.30pm.

The Life Cycles Free Bike Repair sessions will be held at the North West Transport Hub on Saturday, March 8, 1pm – 5pm.

There will also be a Textile and Small Furniture Repair event at Creggan Neighbourhood Centre, Central Drive on Thursday March 6, 10am – 12pm.

A Mending Meet Up will be held at Creggan Country Park off Westway the following day, Friday March 7, 10.30am – 12pm, and a Visible Mending Workshop at the Fashion & Textile Design Centre, Shipquay Street, the same day 2pm-4pm.

A Repair Café will take place at Repair & Share Foyle Headquarters in Rath Mor on Saturday, March 8, 10.30am – 12.30pm.

There will also be a sewing demonstration with Louise Kelly at The Playtrail on Saturday, March 8, 11am to 1pm.

All of these events are free to attend and booking is required for most of them.

An ‘On Your Bucket List?’ event at the Fashion & Textile Design Centre is also being organised for Saturday, March 8, 12pm – 4pm and the cost to attend is £5.

The new Repair Week NI campaign is designed to “equip individuals and communities with practical repair skills while promoting sustainability and supporting local businesses”.

Throughout the week, a diverse range of interactive workshops, online seminars, and discussions with repair experts will take place right across the north.

The events will enable people to extend the lifespan of their belongings, from furniture and clothing to electrical goods and household items.

The campaign is led by the Northern Ireland Resources Network (NIRN) and funded by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) through the Carrier Bag Levy.

To book your place at any of the local events go to: https://www.ni-rn.com/repair-week/derry-city-and-strabane-district-council/

Andrew Muir MLA, Minister for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, commented: “I am pleased that Northern Ireland is taking forward this campaign to promote the importance of repair. It is encouraging to see repair activities and events taking place across our communities, bringing people together in a positive environment, to learn new skills and take inspiration from each other.”

Eimear Montague, Executive Director at NIRN, said: "By making repair more accessible, we can equip communities with new skills and sustainable habits, helping to cut waste and strengthen the circular economy. This is just the beginning of a mindset shift, and we are proud to champion our core values; Rethink, Reuse, Repair."

Ali Moore, Head of Communications and Behaviour Change at ReLondon, said: “We can’t wait to see the results and hope this is just the start of a mutually inspiring and productive relationship between London and Northern Ireland as we work to bring repair into the mainstream.”

Businesses, community groups and individuals are all encouraged to participate in Repair Week to discover the many environmental benefits of repairing.

Further details can be found at ni-rn.com.