The co-ordinator of the Blackdown Hills Repair Café is seeking secure and affordable premises in Hemyock to expand its activities.

Stephan Lehner would like a base the size of a large double garage for a Tool Share – Library of Things, which would have tools and other items available for hire at little cost or by donation, preventing people from having to buy items which are rarely used. They may include items such as carpet cleaners, hammer drills, impact drivers, leaf blowers, strimmers and chop saws.

The charitable organisation, which would want to pay minimal rent, may seek grant funding from the local councils or support from local businesses.

The Repair Café, run by the Blackdown Hills Transition Group at Hemyock Parish Hall, has saved hundreds of items from going to landfill since its inception in March 2018 until it had to stop operating because of the Covid-19 pandemic in March last year.

In that period, 1,273 items – 538 from Hemyock – were fixed by volunteer repairers, preventing an estimated 2,100kg from ending up in landfill. The group also took part in the National Big Fix when its volunteer repairers fixed 363 items, 89 from Hemyock.

Voluntary donations received over this whole period allowed the Blackdown Hills Transition Group to allocate grants of £250 each to eight voluntary groups in the Blackdown Hills.

Stephan has been running a repair service from his home in Blagdon Hill with the help of 16 of the 55 volunteer repairers the group has on its books, working from their own workshops during the pandemic.

Some 285 items were repaired until near the end of last December – 61 from Hemyock – and since March 8 another 181 repairs have been carried out. Requests have come from far afield, including Chard, Honiton, Willand, Wellington and Taunton.

It is hoped to run the Blackdown Hills Repair Café from Hemyock Parish Hall on the fourth Saturday of the month from July 24.

Anyone who would like to get in touch with Stephan can do so by email at mail to [email protected] or on 07715 460783.