The 2-8 March was Greater Manchester’s Annual Repair Week. Organised by Recycle for Greater Manchester (R4GM), the week-long celebration aims to encourage local organisations and businesses to host events that champion fixing items as opposed to throwing them away. R4GM has estimated that last year an estimated £417 million pounds worth of repairable items will have been thrown away.

As a part of repair week, The University of Manchester’s’ Sustainability Team collaborated with Bee Pedal Ready to run a drop in, free bike repair session for students and staff! The session was incredibly successful, with people popping in and out of the workshop until the end of the day!

This session would not have been made possible without the help of Biko Bikes, who kindly lent their workshop space to Bee Pedal Ready. Biko Bikes is a student led cooperative that prioritizes affordable, accessible and sustainable travel. They offer affordable bike repairs to staff and students and are based in the basement of the Students’ Union.

From repair cafes to craft shops, participating in repair week helps to emphasize the importance of re-use, and make it more accessible for all. R4GM has collated an incredible Repair Directory, which can help point you towards repairs available to you in your local area.