A repair and reuse hub in Newport has saved customers over £30K in its first year of business in the high street.

Wales’ first high street-based community repair and reuse outlet opened in Skinners Street last year.

RE:MAKE Café has proven to be a successful location for people to meet friends, learn new skills, and embrace a sustainable lifestyle.

It has also saved customers more than £30K by offering them the chance to borrow items from their ‘library of things’, which includes everything from carpet cleaners to pressure washers.

Project manager, Katie Bellaris, who works at RE:MAKE Newport, said: “We initially launched RE:MAKE as a place for people to bring their everyday items for repair, as well as borrow larger household items like lawnmowers and carpet cleaners.

“Not only have we achieved our goal, but we’ve also created a positive community space for people to meet, socialise and adopt our reuse and repair culture, rather than adding to the growing waste to landfill problem.

“In just one year, we estimate that we have saved around 19,700kg of carbon. It shows that people’s mindset towards waste is changing.”

RE:MAKE Café is just one of the 84 branches of Repair Cafés across Wales. Start-up and ongoing support for Repair Cafes nationally are provided by Repair Café Wales, which is funded by Welsh Government.

It is just one of many initiatives supported by Welsh Government in a bid to reduce carbon emissions and the impacts of climate change, while also helping people save money.

Since committing to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, the Welsh Government has been working with organisations and businesses across the country to take action on climate change.

Julie James, Minister for Climate Change, said: “Climate change is a global issue with local consequences for the people of Wales, which is why we need to act now.

“We are already one of the world’s highest domestic recycling nations, with our municipal recycling having exceeded our 64 per cent target.

“However, by encouraging a re-use and recycle culture when it comes to things like household appliances, bikes, and toys, we can not only further reduce waste but also tackle the climate and nature emergency.

"This is why the Repair Café concept has the full support of the Welsh Government."