Repair, reuse and reimagine

Whether you're a charity shop treasure-seeker, a magician with needle and thread, or love tinkering in the shed, you’re already part of our circular economy. Circular Economy Week (20 to 26 October 2025) is a nationwide celebration of lending, borrowing, repairing and sharing – and keeping valuable stuff out of the waste incinerators.

Across Richmond upon Thames, local organisations are using creativity to rescue surplus food, repair broken items and help residents save money on everyday living.

Whether you’d like to sign up for their services, volunteer your time, or donate clothes, food, or household goods, they'd welcome a visit. Here's a small sample:

Borrow instead of buy

• Local libraries: Our beloved public libraries are the original circular economy heroes - for almost 150 years, our libraries have made books available to everyone. Today, you can do more than loan books and audiobooks. You can borrow a ukelele, recycle small electronic items and batteries, and even join new streaming service Kanopy, where you can watch critically acclaimed films, documentaries and TV shows - completely free
• Library of Things: Need a hedge trimmer, Rug Doctor, angle grinder, or speaker and PA system? You can borrow over 30 common DIY and repair items at our Library of Things, rather than buying new. First-time borrowers can get 15% off with code TKLOT15

Saving good food going to waste

• The Real Junk Food Project Twickenham: The volunteers behind this special Community Café and network of hubs redistribute food to feed our local community. Drivers collect leftover food six days a week from partners including City Harvest, Tesco, Waitrose and Marks and Spencer’s. The chefs then prepare fresh and healthy meals, which anyone can enjoy at the café on a pay-as-you-feel basis. Sign up to help or join in for a meal
• Too Good To Go: Check out local bakeries and restaurants offering yummy end-of-day food and meals on this popular app

Join community classes and workshops

Across the borough there are many repair and craft sessions at local libraries and
community spaces:

• Mend, Make and Craft classes at Richmond Libraries: Sewing, knitting, crochet, and upcycling sessions every Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday at local libraries
• Sheddington, Teddington: A community space for quick fixes, making, and mending with sessions every Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday. Bring along your broken items, donate to support their work, or have a cuppa while enjoying the lovely garden
• Richmond Makers Labs, Ham: All-inclusive repair workshops for those with an interest in DIY and craft, every Tuesday and Thursday. The space is equipped with some fantastic technology and machinery, including laser cutting, 3D printing, CNC machinery, a metal lathe, an electronics workshop and more
• Twickenham Repair Café: Fix broken household items with support from friendly volunteers on the third Saturday of every month. See their website for a list of similar local repair cafes
• Kew the Transition: Subscribe to the group newsletter for updates on regular ‘Repair and Share’ events throughout the year

Re-use before recycling

• Richmond Freegle: Browse this website for free items, from large pieces of furniture, like dressers and tables, to books and plants
• Richmond Furniture Scheme: A charitable organisation that collects quality donated furniture and sells it at discounted prices - making essential household items available to everyone
• TRAID: Drop off your unwanted electrical waste, clothes and shoes at TRAID stores or have them collected from your home
• Recycling sites: There are over 60 recycling sites across the borough. View a map of our recycling sites for the locations and details of each site. Also visit our reuse drop-off point at Townmead Road
• Vineyard: Charity shops selling clothing, books and other goods, supporting a local foodbank and community support service

Find out where you can donate, sell, share and repair items in the borough on pages 11 and 12 of our Resident Action Pack.

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