What we do
Repair Café, Share Shed and Community Hub
Repair Café - see News for upcoming dates
A little about the Repair Café! Hovingham’s Repair Café is a recognised member of the 1700 strong, Repair Café International organisation. Residents are invited to bring along items that are in need of repair.
The objective is to see our possessions in a new light and discourage us from throwing away well-loved items into landfill which could be mended and returned to a useful life.
What’s more, to learn a little, meet new people and perhaps have a little fun repairing something seeing how easy it often is, whilst enjoying a cup of coffee and cake!
Our team of volunteers will do their best to mend or advise, free of charge. Items can include electrical, household, carpentry items, clothing mending and alterations.
A Repair Café is run on the second Saturday of every quarter, sharing repairing skills to fix and extend the life of items that would otherwise go to landfill.
On Saturday 7th March 2020, nine local volunteer fixers stepped forward to share their knowledge and skills, enabling Hovingham to open their Repair Café doors attracting 25 people.
"I feel thrilled to bits. It's like a new piece of furniture" said one happy visitor to Hovingham's first Repair Café. A volunteer carpenter, sewing expert, and experienced repairers fixed eleven items in two hours. Hilary Sleights from Hovingham said “it’s fantastic to have my 47 year old clock working again. This clock has huge sentimental value to me”. During the event, a Morsbag was created. Morsbags are made using unwanted fabric and given away free to reduce plastic bag use.
Due to Covid 19 we are having to postpone the repair café for the time being but it will be back as soon we feel it can be run safely.
If you have skills that you could share in sewing, shoe repairs, jewellery repairs, tool sharpening, computers, electrical or carpentry etc, then please contact us and join us at the repair café. Contact: repair-cafe@hovingham.org.uk or Kim Colenso 01653 628324
Hovingham Village Hall and events are listed on the Repair Café Hovingham Facebook page @repaircafehovingham or https://www.facebook.com/repaircafehovingham
There's more useful links here to websites with step by step videos and guides for basic repairs.
"I feel thrilled to bits. It's like a new piece of furniture"
Hovingham resident
Sewing expert Ann up cycled a jumper, made a Morsbag, repaired a broken zip and shared tips and hints
Experienced carpenter Peter Wernyj was kept busy fuelled by lemon drizzle cake
“It’s fantastic to have my 47 year old clock working again,
This clock has huge sentimental value to me.”
H.S, Hovingham resident
Essentials - Hovingham Repair Café house rules & disclaimer
What we do
1. Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle & Rot
Community Hub
Alongside the Repair Café, we also run our Community Hub to exchange ideas, share knowledge and spotlight different areas where we can make a different in reducing our carbon footprint eg energy saving, transport, food, shopping etc
You can meet residents who have experience of owning and driving electric vehicles, talk to local gardeners, find out the latest about grants to support home energy improvements, make the switch to renewable energy and much, much more.
Top tips! Click here for Easy Starter veg, here for top tips and here for video guides and more info
What we do
1. Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle & Rot
Run by Hovingham Project Purple
Borrowing is better than buying.
If we've got it, you can borrow it, for free!
What is a Share Shed?
The Share Shed is our community initiative to share useful items with friends and neighbours in the Parish of Hovingham & Scackleton. It will help reduce the consumption of “stuff”, help in our community efforts to reduce the impact on the environment and it is FREE at point of use!
We have built a virtual share shed library on this website. Go to the Share Shed page to find out more.
What we do
2. Reducing our carbon footprint
Electric vehicles and charging
One of the issues that came out of the 2018 village survey, was the need for residents to have access to reliable electric vehicle charging points.
Many properties do not have access to off road parking to charge an electric vehicle. In recognition of this, with funding from the Office Of Low Emission Vehicles, Ryedale District Council, Project Purple and the support of Hovingham & Scackleton Parish Council and the Village Hall, a double 32amp Electric Vehicle charger was installed on the 10th March 2020 in the Village Hall car park. This will charge a typical electric car, at the rate of 25mile per hours charge.
The Charger is supplier by BP Chargemaster and is part of their Polar Network. Access is via RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) card. BP Chargemaster rates per kWh apply.
Click here for charging tips and considerations when choosing an EV or hybrid vehicle
At home - energy savings (Insulation; Heating; Electricity; Water)
Click here to find out more about the latest available grants, energy efficiency and how to reduce the amount of energy you use including the Government's “Green Homes Grant”
What we do
3. Renewable energy
Including home solar and community solar
Community solar energy
Over the next 10 years, Hovingham, like many other communities, will require approximately three times their present electricity demand (circa 1MW) more than today. The capacity of our present grid could be expanded to approximately 190kW, therefore the capacity will have to be built in order to support the demand. The present supply framework does not allow the grid provider, Northern Power, to anticipate future demand. Hence, Hovingham’s supply will be built up on an as needed basis, ie no strategic planning or investment.
Communities like Hovingham, would like to develop our own renewable source. We carried out a feasibility study in 2019/20. However, the present grid supply framework does not easily allow connection for locally produced supply.
Project Purple is a member of Northern Powergrid’s “Community Energy Stakeholder Panel”. One of the aims of the panel is to understand and influence the Government infrastructure planning that would support community initiatives like our own.
We’ve carried out a detailed feasibility study to install a community solar farm up to 2MW which was supported by the Rural Community Energy Fund.
An array of this capacity would make it financially attractive to local individual investors and provide a revenue stream to support the communities needs. It would generate approximately twice Hovingham’s requirements based on estimated 2030’s demand. Unfortunately, we found after extensive evaluation the maximum grid connection in and around Hovingham is 190kW. We have therefore decided not to take it further at this time.
We will continue working closely with Northern Power Grid to evaluate options in the future.
What's your story?
If you have experiences you'd like to share with the community about how you have reduced your carbon foot print please contact projectpurple@hovingham.org.uk
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