First ever Highland repair services map created to encourage repair over discard
People across the Highlands are being encouraged to give their items a new lease of life thanks to a new initiative.
Eighty per cent of Scotland’s carbon footprint comes from the things that we make, buy, use and ultimately throw away, while more than half (51%) of bulky items sent to recycling centres in the UK could have been reused or repaired.
In response the Highland Community Waste Partnership (HCWP), in an initiative led by partner Lochbroom and Ullapool Community Trust, has launched the first ever Highland Repair Directory to enable people to find repair services in their area – prolonging the life of valuable items.
The Highland Repair Directory aims to encourage people to consider repairing their favourite items rather than throwing them away, making it easier for them to find services nearby.
Coordinated by environmental charity Keep Scotland Beautiful, the HCWP is community-led by eight organisations across the Highlands, working together to reduce waste in our communities by changing the way that we all consume (buy, use and dispose of) things.
Over the summer, the HCWP has been compiling a directory of repair services across the Highlands, including businesses, local/independent repairers and community repair cafes.
These have been collated on a user-friendly online map for people to find services near them, split into eight categories: clothes, shoes and accessories; bike repair; furniture; phones, laptops and computers; white goods; electrical items; tools and machinery; and others.
The directory was launched on Saturday 7 September at the Highland Climate Festival edition of the Black Isle Repair Café (itself a HCWP initiative from Transition Black Isle) at the Fortrose Academy Theatre and is a direct response to the climate emergency and our consumption habits.
It will contribute to Scotland’s goal of a circular economy where people both use and waste less.
In addition to the Black Isle Repair Café, a monthly, mobile repair café offering a wide range of repairs, Saturday’s event also included specialised outdoor gear repair from Alpkit Inverness, as well as button covering workshops from Red Hut Furniture; all three of which, are featured on the Highland Repair Directory.
Georgina Massouraki, HCWP Coordinator, said:
“We are so excited to launch the Highland Repair Directory and provide this fantastic network of repair services for people across the area.
“When it comes to ‘stuff’ – clothes, appliances, furniture and everything in between – so many of us are guilty of over consumption.
“So many perfectly good items get thrown away, as do items that may be considered broken or damaged.
“By encouraging repair and reuse, we can reduce the amount we waste, contribute to a circular economy and even save money by repairing rather than buying again.
“The Highland Repair Directory will be a vital resource in our drive to use things for longer and makes it easier for people to extend the lifespan of a variety of products.”
Catriona Scott, Community Development Officer at Lochbroom and Ullapool Community Trust, said:
“We wanted to create this resource because many of the donations to The New Broom—LUCT’s community shop dedicated to reusing, restoring, and rehoming pre-loved items—often only need a minor repair to become fully usable again and save them from landfill.
“We also frequently receive inquiries in the shop about local repair services, particularly for bikes, washing machines, small electronics, upholstery, and clothing alterations.
“These requests highlighted the need for a comprehensive directory where our community can easily find local repairers all in one place.
“The Highland Repair Directory will help everyone across the Highlands keep items in use for longer encouraging more sustainable consumption habits.”
Sean Unwin, Alpkit Inverness Store Manager, said:
“Alpkit feel the longer we keep our clothing, tents and rucksacks going, the less we buy and the smaller our impact on the planet.
“It’s the reason we’ve always repaired our own products, and the reason we’ve been repairing outdoor kit for any brand, since 2004.”
“It’s really great to have this service recognised and promoted through the new Highland Repair Directory.
“We look forward to helping more people to get the most out of the gear they have, reducing waste and supporting the move towards a more circular economy.”
The Highland Repair Directory is now live for people to use, and is also still taking entries.
Highland repair projects, businesses related to fixing or upcycling or keen repairer anywhere in the Highlands are encouraged to continue adding themselves to the directory.
Visit https://www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/highland-community-waste-partnership/share-repair/highland-repair-directory/ for more information.
