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Mayor congratulates Repair & Share Foyle as they celebrate 50th Repair Café

9 September 2026

The Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council has congratulated Repair & Share Foyle as the community organisation prepares to host its landmark 50th Repair Café this weekend.

Since launching the initiative in 2022, Repair & Share Foyle has hosted regular repair events across the city and district, helping local people extend the life of everyday household items while reducing waste and carbon emissions. The organisation will mark its 50th Repair Café at Leafair Community Association on Saturday 12 September from 10am to 1pm.  

Mayor of DCSDC, Cllr Grace Uí Niallais, praised the dedicated volunteers and organisers who have helped make the initiative such a success.

“I would like to say a huge congratulations to everyone involved with Repair & Share Foyle on reaching this fantastic milestone. Hosting 50 Repair Cafés is a tremendous achievement and reflects the dedication of the team and volunteers who have worked so hard to promote sustainability, community engagement and practical repair skills across our council area.

“Repair & Share Foyle is making a real difference by helping people repair rather than replace items, reducing waste and encouraging us all to think differently about the things we throw away. Their work aligns closely with Council's commitment to creating a cleaner, greener and more sustainable city and district.

“I would encourage residents to come along to Saturday’s event, bring an item in need of repair and experience first-hand the wonderful community spirit that has helped make these cafés such a success.”

Since the first Repair Café, volunteers have worked on more than 1,000 items, successfully repairing almost 700. The initiative has also helped prevent an estimated 17,000kg of carbon emissions through repair activities, while promoting the environmental and financial benefits of repairing household goods rather than disposing of them.

At Saturday’s event, households registered for repairs will be entered into a special prize draw to celebrate the milestone, with prizes including membership of Repair & Share Foyle’s Library of Things, vouchers for the Legenderry Colours paint rescue project and other local prizes.

The 50th Repair Café will take place at Leafair Community Association on Saturday 12 September from 10am to 1pm. Residents are invited to bring along one household item for repair and join Repair & Share Foyle in celebrating five years of repair, reuse and community action.