HANDY men and women are celebrating after helping to fix dozens of household items - saving them from being thrown away.

‘Repair cafes’ have been held across Oxfordshire in the latest attempt to encourage people to reuse and recycle broken things they have at home.

The events were held in the Bullingdon, West and South Oxford community centres as well as in Wantage, Wallingford, Chinnor and Didcot.

Sustainable Didcot, which organised the second ever repair cafe in the town, reported fixing 41kg of broken items.

Organiser Ed Polehampton said: “We fixed things including lamps, laptops, soft toys, a blender, a hair drier, clocks and watches, and a rucksack that needed stitching back together.

“We also glued peoples broken items, including a statue of a bird with a broken beak brought along by the Mayor of Didcot and sharpened garden tools.”

The initiative was started thanks to a grant from South Oxfordshire district councillor Mocky Khan and pairs up people who love mending things with those who need stuff fixed.

Mayor Jackie Billington commended the idea and was please to have her statue fixed.

She said: “They were very busy with lots of people waiting to be seen.

"It was such a great event, preventing items being thrown away.

"I met some great people who are doing an amazing service to help others.”

All the events were organised under the umbrella of the Community Action Group (CAG) network of low-carbon community groups with support from various councils.

The program of events was intended to tackle the growing issue of electronic waste and 'change the way' people view normal household items like toasters and radios.

Alice Hemming, of the Community Action Group, said: "Sustainable Didcot and other community action groups across Oxfordshire are contributing hundreds of hours of volunteer time to make these repair cafés a huge success, whilst saving tonnes of electricals from the bin.

"It is a great example of the power of community action.

"I think it has has really taken off as an idea because everyone hates throwing things away that could easily be used again.

"It's an important step towards tackling our disposable culture."

Fixers will be out in force again next month in Didcot at the next repair cafe on June 10 from 2pm until 5pm in the Civic Hall.

Oxford's Broken Spoke Bike Co-op will also be on hand to help people learn how to fix their own bicycles.

Regular sessions are also continuing in venues across the county.

For more information see cagoxfordshire.org.uk