MP (and family) in knitting workshop at cafe

FREDDIE van Mierlo visited the latest EcoSoco repair café.

The Henley MP took part in a knitting workshop at the café, which runs on the first Saturday of each month at Springwater Church.

As part of International Repair Café month, the organisers held a series of free mini workshops, including crochet, textile repair and bunting making from recycled material.

The repair café initiative was created by Martine Postma, who hosted the first repair café in Amsterdam in October 2009. Since then, it has evolved into a worldwide movement, with more than 2,500 repair cafés hosted worldwide. EcoSoco founder Julie Shorter said more than 500 items have been saved from landfill since launching the café in the village last year, saving community members “hundreds of pounds”.

She said the initiative had recently saved one visitor £300. Ms Shorter said: “We were delighted to receive a visit from Freddie and his family and both he and his wife joined in with the knitting workshop.

“It was great that Freddie had the opportunity to see what an amazing initiative the repair café is. It’s such a brilliant example of the community mobilising itself to answer the environmental and cost of living crisis, as well as providing a welcoming social space.

“Residents visit for the homemade cakes and coffee alone and to meet up with friends.”

Mr van Mierlo recently appealed to Oxfordshire County Council to consider wider support for repair cafés, which Ms Shorter said plays an important role in waste management across the country.

She added that to run the café, EcoSoco covers the cost of renting the hall, PAT tester calibration, printing, and equipment for the café volunteers.