The Making Rooms creative and technology hub in Blackburn has launched a new IT reconditioning centre called Repair Space. The initiative aims to address the growing problem of e-waste and ensure everyone has access to technology. Volunteers will repair and restore laptops, which will then be donated to those in need. The Repair Space is part of The Making Rooms' commitment to sustainability and community engagement.
Blackburn town centre's The Making Rooms creative and technology hub has added an IT reconditioning centre to repair laptops for free distribution to those in need. The new Repair Space aims to tackle e-waste and promote digital inclusion. Staff and volunteers have set themselves the ambitious goal of repairing and restoring 1,000 laptops in the first 12 months before gifting them to those in technological need.
The project is one of only eight nationwide selected by the Time After Time fund supported by Virgin Media O2 and Hubbub. Located within The Making Rooms building in Exchange Street, the Repair Space will equip volunteers with skills to fix digital devices, saving them from landfill. Restored devices will then be donated to residents who don’t currently have access to technology. The Repair Space officially launched at a special event at REEL Cinema on Friday. The move followed the revelation of plans for a £1.5million extension to The Making Rooms adding two extra levels by repurposing the basement and roof space of the building. Its lab director, Tom Macpherson-Pope said: “Shockingly, over 57million tonnes of e-waste was produced in 2021, and this could rise to 80m tonnes a year by 2030. It’s the fastest-growing waste stream globally. At The Making Rooms, we want to try and help combat this by teaching people how to repair unneeded or unwanted devices, saving them from landfill and giving them to those who need them, where possible. 'We’ve since drawn inspiration from best practice globally and cutting-edge tech to create this innovative initiative based on what people have said they’d like to see from a Repair Space locally. 'With our passionate volunteers – one as young as 13 – we’ve already restored over 100 laptops through the new Repair Space. Our goal of restoring 1,000 laptops in a year is ambitious, but we have the drive, determination, and skills to make it happen.' Laptops have already been donated by Blackburn with Darwen Council, Graham and Brown, and Jam Coding. Using software donated for free by Cedar, the devices are securely wiped of all data to ensure they can be re-used at no risk to the original owner. Cllr Phil Riley, leader of Blackburn with Darwen Council, said: “The work The Repair Space will undertake is hugely important – helping to tackle e-waste and digital inclusion. We often have makers from right across Europe travel to Blackburn just to visit The Making Rooms. 'It’s a brilliant space and a brilliant asset for our borough.” The Repair Space is one of four sustainability labs at the hub alongside the Eco Lab, Fabric Lab and Precious Plastic Blackburn
E-Waste Digital Inclusion Repair Space The Making Rooms Blackburn Technology Hub Sustainability Volunteering
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