With a somewhat bumpy start to 2021 thanks to Covid, we have some great news to share which comes in the form of a new Online Repair Directory for the Collaborating Local Authorities in Resource Efficiency (CLAIRE) Wales Group Council areas.
As a successful recipient of the Welsh Government’s Circular Economy fund, the Repair Directory will be developed by lead Council, Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council, working with Resource Efficiency Wales (https://www.resourceefficiencywales.co.uk ) and The Restart Project (https://therestartproject.org) .
Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council’s Executive Member for Community Services, Cllr Joanna Wilkins says:
“We are delighted with the financial support from Welsh Government to enable the development of such an essential tool in the drive to achieve a Circular Economy. This will be the first Repair Directory in Wales.”
When finalised, the Repair Directory will provide an online resource for members of the public, where they can locate, within any of the member local authority areas, a ‘repair shop’ where they can take electrical and electronic items, bicycles, clothing, furniture, and other equipment to be repaired.
As per the original London based Repair Directory (https://therestartproject.org/repairdirectory ), the user may input their postcode into the online platform, along with other selectable criteria - i.e. the item to be repaired, plus the distance they are willing to travel - and repair shops will be displayed on a map (with address, contact details).
Ugo Vallauri, Co-founder and Policy Lead, The Restart Project said:
“Searching for a reliable repair business can be time-consuming and often frustrating – the Repair Directory aims to make it easier, and to grow the repair economy in the process.
This is a fantastic move for Wales, and we are so pleased to be involved!”
Sharing this information will enable members of the public to avoid their items from becoming a waste and will extend the lives of otherwise disused products. This will provide an essential part of the desire to build a Circular Economy in Wales and encourage the public to consider options available to them at the top of the waste hierarchy.
The aim is that the Repair Directory will signpost people to reliable repair businesses and will hopefully increase the uptake of repair in the community.
James Kay, Regional Waste Co-ordinator, Resource Efficiency Wales said:
“This is a game changer – the Repair Directory will provide a basis for promotion of inherent behaviour change, driving repair and extending the useable life of products that would otherwise be discarded – it may even save users a few pennies too! The local authorities group has a history of innovative and ground-breaking initiatives and we look forward to collaborating and delivering this latest idea to drive Wales’ Circular Economy.”
The Repair Directory, coupled with other Welsh Government funded Local Authority led projects to develop and / or support repair shops / events, will provide a platform for promoting these outlets and will be key in providing the communications and advertising required to achieving the footfall needed to make a difference. The final Repair Directory aims to go live by the end of March 2021, with the ability to update and add new businesses over time.