A charity has launched a series of environmentally friendly Repair Cafés across Bath and North East Somerset with funding from a charity award scheme supported by

Virgin Care’s Community Volunteer Service in B&NES.

Local volunteers from Share and Repair have used their prize money to open the green cafés – which encourage people to mend broken items rather than bin them – in Weston, Larkhall, Southdown and Peasedown St. John.

They received their prize money after setting up shop at the University of Bath with a team of students as part of a special competition, called the Rotork, Community Charity Challenge.

The group of seven, known as Team 13, were lucky enough to be picked by judges as the winners of the prize sponsored by Bath-based engineering firm, Rotork after setting up the café on campus to help mend other students’ clothes.

Head Judge, Mike Plows, the manager of Virgin Care’s Community Volunteer Services, said: “Decisions are always tough when the standard is so high, particularly this year when there were fourteen highly credible contenders, but this Volunteer Team stood out. It’s also great to see that this team have used their prize money to open more of these useful cafés.”

Rotork added: “The Judges liked the fact that this project was sustainable, and the benefits are clear to see. We all need to do more to support the environment.”

Lorna Montgomery, Coordinator of Share and Repair, said: “We want to change mind-sets away from the throw away culture we now have. So, it is important we reach young people and get them involved.

“We are absolutely thrilled Team 13 won the Challenge.”