Free repairs for broken kettles, bikes and clothes at Cultivate Colindale on Saturday 10 October, 11am to 3pm, in a London record bid. 17 events to 18 October.
Barnet residents can get broken household items repaired for free this Saturday, 10 October, as the borough joins a London attempt on a world repair record.
The Fixathon runs from 11am to 3pm at Cultivate Colindale, Heybourne Crescent, NW9 5YT. It opens Barnet Climate Action Week, which runs until Sunday 18 October. Barnet Council announced the programme on 6 October.
What the Fixathon will mend
The council’s Repair Café will take:
- small electricals, such as kettles, toasters and vacuum cleaners
- bicycles
- textiles
Places are free but the council asks people to sign up on Eventbrite first.
The record attempt is for the highest number of household items repaired across one week. Barnet is taking part alongside Brent, Camden, the City of London, Hackney, Islington, Richmond and Wandsworth, and Waltham Forest, the council says. The week coincides with Circular Economy Week and International Repair Day.
There will also be a second-hand bike market at the same venue and times, selling serviced bikes. The council says all proceeds will go to Cycle Sisters, a charity that encourages Muslim and other ethnically diverse women to cycle.
The council has run eight Repair Cafés across the borough over the past year. Cllr Alan Schneiderman, cabinet member for environment and climate change, said the Fixathon “shows how simple actions can make a real difference, helping people save money, reduce waste and make better use of the things they already have”.
The full week, day by day
This year’s theme is nature and biodiversity, according to the Climate Action Week page. These are the 17 events in the council’s events listing on 8 October. Times and places are from each event’s own page.
| Date | Time | Event | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sat 10 Oct | 11am to 3pm | London Fixathon: Barnet Repair Café | Cultivate Colindale, NW9 5YT |
| Sat 10 Oct | 11am to 3pm | Affordable Bike Market | Cultivate Colindale, NW9 5YT |
| Sat 10 Oct | 4pm to 6pm | Cool Beans!, cooking demonstrations and tastings by Incredible Edible Barnet | St John’s URC, Mowbray Road entrance, New Barnet EN5 1RH |
| Sun 11 Oct | 10.30am to 12.30pm | Hendon Tiny Orchard work party | 9 Church Road, NW4 4EB |
| Sun 11 Oct | 11am to 12.30pm | Tiny Forest community day | A406 at Falloden Way, opposite Edge Hill Avenue, N3 3JL |
| Mon 12 to Fri 16 Oct | from 9am Mon to 3pm Fri | School device donation drive with 2econd Chance | Schools across the borough |
| Tue 13 Oct | 10am to 12pm | Sharing Climate Stories, story exchange, 24 places | Middlesex University, Hendon NW4 4BT |
| Tue 13 Oct | 12pm to 5pm | Save Money, Save the Planet games | The Quad, Middlesex University, NW4 4BT |
| Tue 13 Oct | 12.30pm to 2pm | EcoJudaism seed planting | Brentfield Gardens, NW11 9ED |
| Tue 13 Oct | 6pm | Community Energy Barnet: a celebration of urban solar | Room C219-20, Middlesex University |
| Wed 14 Oct | 5pm to 8pm | The People’s Emergency Briefing, free screening and discussion | Phoenix Cinema, East Finchley N2 9PJ |
| Thu 15 Oct | 10am to 4pm | Fungi Field Recorder Day | Welsh Harp Open Space, NW9 7AB |
| Thu 15 Oct | 11am to 1pm | Refurbished device sale by 2econd Chance | Burnt Oak Library, HA8 0UB |
| Fri 16 Oct | 5pm to 6pm | Green Voices: students, alumni and community | Online |
| Sat 17 Oct | 2pm to 5pm | Dollis Valley Community Harvest Day | The Rainbow Centre, Priory Grove EN5 2BE |
| Sun 18 Oct | 10am to 12pm | Walk, Gather and Make Nature Prints | Watling Park, Cressingham Road HA8 0RW |
| Sun 18 Oct | from 11am | Meadows, Memories and Making, Finchley Pollinator Project | Stephens House and Gardens, 17 East End Road, N3 |
The council’s 6 October announcement calls the Stephens House event “Buzzy Bulbs and Meadows” and gives it as 11am to 2pm. Its own event page now uses the newer name.
The Tuesday evening solar event is about Community Energy Barnet’s first installation, the roof at Burnt Oak Leisure Centre we reported on in September.
What it means for you
- Got something broken? Saturday’s Fixathon is the one event where you take something home fixed. Book on Eventbrite and bring the item, plus any charger or parts.
- Need a cheap bike? The bike market runs alongside it in Colindale, with proceeds going to charity.
- Some events need booking. The Phoenix screening has free tickets, the Stephens House workshops use time slots, and the Fungi day and Dollis Valley harvest day ask you to register. Check each event’s page before you set off.
- Old laptops and tablets: schools across the borough are collecting unwanted devices for reuse that week, and 2econd Chance sells refurbished ones at Burnt Oak Library on Thursday.
The council says the week supports its aim for Barnet to reach net zero by 2042. For other things to do this month, see what’s on in Barnet. The Light + Flight festival follows in November.
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