{"id":764,"date":"2022-12-01T13:22:00","date_gmt":"2022-12-01T13:22:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sloughantilitter.org.uk\/?p=764"},"modified":"2023-01-12T15:24:49","modified_gmt":"2023-01-12T15:24:49","slug":"december-litter-picking-with-santa-in-foxborough","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sloughantilitter.org.uk\/blog\/december-litter-picking-with-santa-in-foxborough\/","title":{"rendered":"December – Litter picking with Santa in Foxborough"},"content":{"rendered":"\n[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”RGBA(0,0,0,0)” background_image=”https:\/\/sloughantilitter.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Untitled-design-2.png” background_blend=”overlay” min_height=”190px” custom_padding=”0px||73px|||” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”-37px|auto||auto||” custom_padding=”0px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_blurb content_max_width=”790px” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” header_level=”h2″ header_font=”|600|||||||” header_font_size=”30px” body_font_size=”16px” text_orientation=”center” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”]
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On Saturday, 26th November, was the much anticipated first edition of the Slough Repair Caf\u00e9. After visiting the succesful Repair caf\u00e9 in Maidenhead, the society decided to set it up in Slough. In one way, this was easy because we could copy what Maidenhead was already doing. On the other hand, we started from nothing, so we needed a venue, funding and volunteers.<\/p>\n
The Queensmere shopping centre was very kind in letting us use its venue. At first, we were supposed to be in the former B&M store, but that venue is rented out to a new tenant. Thanks to Eva, we did the Repair Caf\u00e9 in The Artful Hub. And the market and workshop were in the indoor square in front of the former B&M store.<\/p>\n
The funding comes from The National Lottery Community Fund and OneSlough Community Fund. With this money, we could buy materials such as a PAT tester and train our volunteers to use it. We also got tables, chairs, and equipment for the caf\u00e9 to give the visitors complimentary tea and coffee.<\/p>\n
With the help of Slough CVS, Slough Borough Council and Facebook advertising, we recruited the volunteers. We were so pleased with the results: ten volunteer fixers\/ hosts signed up, and seven could make it on the day. But then, a little over a week before the event, we only had four items signed up to be repaired! So we did another call out on social media and Whats App groups to ensure that our volunteers would be busy enough on the day.<\/p>\n
In the end, we needn’t have worried because 16 items were brought in. And our volunteers were able to look at and analyse all of them. Most were repaired, some were at the end of their life and some needed specialised tools. In the last case, visitors were invited to come back next time. All in all, a very successful first edition, and we will only grow to make it bigger and better.<\/p>\n
To gain more publicity and visitors for the repair caf\u00e9, we combined it with the anti-litter market and upcycling fabric workshop.<\/p>\n
At the market sellers sell their secondhand items to declutter, make some profit and keep things out of the landfill. The first edition of the anti-litter market was in January, and we were keen on doing it again. So this was the perfect opportunity, there were twenty sellers on the day, and it really created a buzz!<\/p>\n
We also ran an upcycling with fabric paint workshop the same day. Children brought old clothes and made them into artworks using fabric paint. The results were amazing!<\/p>\n
Please join me in thanking all our amazing volunteers who made the day such as success! The fixers (Jon, Phil, Keith, Bob), hosts (Jillian, Lynn, Sat), creatives (Paula, Justyna), coordinators (Darren, Bal), event manager (Tirza) and photographer (Nikita). Events like this can only be organised because of the hard work of volunteers. A special thanks to Gabi and Claire from Repair Caf\u00e9 Maidenhead who helped on the day and made sure our first Repair Caf\u00e9 ran smoothly.<\/p>\n
Have a look at some of the pictures taken by Nikita. We hope you will be there (again) next time.\u00a0<\/span>We will do it all again on<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>Saturday, 28 January so start collecting items you want to sell or upcycle and items that need to be repaired!<\/strong><\/p>\n The link to buy tickets for the market and\/or get a free ticket for the repair caf\u00e9:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n