On the 19th April 2025 the Malling Repair Cafe went on tour (well to Communigrow, Ditton/East Malling) where we had a great session sharpening and fixing local gardening equipment. A great result.
Author: Malling Repair Cafe
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Visit by Helen Grant MP
Helen Grant MP for Maidstone and Malling visits The Malling Repair Café in the village hall East Malling – part of the local community
At the Malling and District Repair Café today 18 Jan 2025 there was an amazingly close community feel about the place. This is not just somewhere to bring your broken radio, malfunctioning Christmas lights or blunt scissors, it is also a place to come together for a hot cup of tea and a homemade cake, a good chat and a bit of warm fellowship.
Running now for over two years, this branch of the Repair Café phenomenon is clearly successful amongst local people. Today there were 68 requests for repairs covering a huge range of stuff, with volunteer technicians on site ready to tackle the toughest of challenges. Not everything gets fixed, but most things do in return for a small donation to help run the scheme.
If you have something that needs fixing do go along next time, and if you fancy putting yourself forward as a volunteer please contact the organisers. All the details are here: https://mallingrepaircafe.co.uk/dates-times-and-locations/
My thanks to Kris, Shirley and Royston (pictured above) for such a warm welcome and for showing me around the various workstations.
Left to right – Royston, Helen, Andy, Kris and Gywenth with our result board -
The West Malling Library Clock is ticking again!
The West Malling Library Clock was found in an antique shop in East Anglia in the 1970s and purchased by the Reverand Desmond Sampson F.R.I.C.S then rector of Alkham nr. Folkestone and restored by him. Subsequently it was purchased by W. Tunstall Bates Esq., F.R.I.C.S of 84 and 86 High Street West Malling, and presented to the West Malling Library in memory of Mrs Nellie Grace Bates (Nee Clements) of Offham, formally of Rye, born 2nd May 1885 died 8th December 1978; in appreciation of the consideration given to her by the staff there.
- It stopped ticking a few years ago shortly after it was wound up one day, From that day to this, not a tick or a tock was heard, until the Malling Repair Café worked their magic
- The casing had become fragile, beginning to come apart at the joints.
- Following the rebuild
- The pendulum casing was replaced on wall and the head replaced on the casing
- and the head replaced on the casing
- Job well done!
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