Bristol Repair Declaration Chambers Debate at City Hall

In the Autumn of 2021, the Bristol Repair Declaration (v.1) was co-created by the Repair Acts programme through the Tales of Care and Repair project. At the time we crowdsourced over 300 views from Bristolians asking their views on how they would enhance the material repairability of objects and goods in the city. From these gatherings the Bristol Repair Declaration (v.1) was created, as a set of five ways to strengthen the city’s repair pathways.

1. Introduction of business rate reductions for all repairers and establishing a trust and quality labelling system for repair business.
2. Removal of VAT on repair items and the creation of city-wide repair vouchers
3. Basic repair skills, should be commonplace and educational opportunities for learning repair-centred trades should be valued, activated and certified
4. Call for the city council to support accessible small-repair drop-ins across the city that host regular repair days and develop neighbourhood exchange hubs, where spare parts can be traded and skills learnt
5. Demand to manufacturers to re-think their ways of working and reduce waste by creating durable, common, transferable and modifiable spare parts.

These outcomes inspired the establishment in 2024 of the Bristol Repair Coalition - an alliance of partners committed to creating conditions for systemic material change at a citywide level and who prioritise material repair, reuse, and resourcefulness.

Four years on since the launch of the Declaration, we ask members of the Coalition and guest speakers to respond to the Declaration, with the aim to create a revised second edition.

Confirmed speakers include:

• Charlie Eddisford, Community Impact Lead, Resource Futures
• Clare Reddington, CEO, Watershed, Bristol
• Cllr Abi Finch, Bristol City Council, Green Party
• Fiona Dear, Co-Director Restart
• Hannah Sturman, Bristol Waste
• Jenny Ford, CEO, Materials In Mind
• Kat Corbett, University of Bristol
• Latinas In Bristol
• Leigh-Ann Treadwell, Bristol Upholstery Collective
• Manu Maunganidze, Co-Director, Global Goals Centre
• Melissa Mean, Founding Director, We Can Make
• Meret Faerber, Rethrindle CIC, SPARKS
• Professor Laura Fogg-Rogers, University of the West of England
• Sean Polden, Founder, Last Appliances
• Paul Beacham, Sharpness Shipyard
• Professor Jeremy Frey, University of Southampton

Debate Chair: Professor Teresa Dillon, Repair Acts & Winchester School of Art, University of Southampton

Agenda:

16.00: Welcome & Reception, City Hall

16.30: Chambers Doors Open

17.00: Debate Opens

19.45: Debate Closes

Bristol Repair Declaration (v1) was co-created through workshops held in partnership with Knowle West Media Centre, Bristol Climate & Nature Partnership Green Mingle and Community Climate Action Project, University of the West of England, BA Graphic Design, Fashion and Textile and MA Product Design students and through one-to-one conversations with professional repairers and the members of Bristol Disability Equity Forum.

Bristol Repair Coalition: Established by Repair Acts in 2024, the Coalition is an alliance of partners committed to creating conditions for systemic material change at a city-wide level. Prioritising material repair, reuse, and resourcefulness, the Coalition meets monthly at the Pervasive Media Studio, Bristol. Open to new members, meetings are chaired by university partners, with core activities led and developed by members.

Active Coalition members include: Charities: Global Goals Centre. Council: Bristol City Council. Companies: Bristol Waste, Last Appliances. Social Enterprises: Materials in Mind, Share Bristol, Library of Things, SevernNet. Universities: DICE Network+ University of Bristol, University of Exeter, University of the West of England, Winchester School of Art, University of Southampton. Coalition co-chairs: Kat Corbett, University of Bristol; Laura Fogg-Rogers, UWE; Mark Jacobs, Global Goals Centre; Teresa Dillon, Repair Acts & Winchester School of Art, University of Southampton.

---

This event is part of Celebrating Repair Cultures (Oct 3rd - 17th), a city-wide Bristol programme exploring our relationship with things through hands-on workshops, talks, performances, and community mending. Bringing together local repair cafés, makers, artists, and researchers across venues like the CUBE, Pervasive Media Studio, Arnolfini, and SPARKS, the two-week series features a dedicated digital repair and debate day at Bristol City Hall, a Material Cabaret on Lightship 55, and the 10th Anniversary of International Repair Day. Discover the full programme and join the conversation at repairacts.net.