The Fixy Project

Following research into reuse funded by Somerset Waste Partnership (SWP), Resource Futures found that public awareness of repair activities was low across Somerset and that transport was a key issue for both the public and community groups.

The idea of the Fixy project – a mobile, awareness-raising repair van – was born and, thanks to a successful funding bid through the Ecosurety Exploration Fund, a pilot project was launched in May 2022.

Working in partnership with Donate IT and Somerset Waste Partnership, Fixy now travels around Somerset promoting repair and reuse messages, attending events, supporting repair cafes and holding tech amnesties.

Objectives

Our aim with Fixy was to take the repair and reuse of electricals from ‘niche to norm’ by:

  • Promoting repair and reuse in all communities, rural and urban, through presence in high footfall locations;
  • Having a strong visible presence – through the branded Fixy van – to help get the message out across all areas of Somerset;
  • Raising awareness about existing repair cafes, publicising their events and promoting volunteer opportunities;
  • Encouraging and assisting people to set up new repair cafes;
  • Speaking to businesses and schools about repair;
  • Organising tech amnesties to collect unwanted smart tech items; and
  • Collecting, transporting and refurbishing donated smart tech and giving them to those in need, thus helping to address the digital divide.

Approach

In order to build grass roots engagement, Resource Futures carried out initial meetings with repair cafes assessing where and how they would like support. The name was chosen through a public vote to create early publicity momentum and an approachable brand identity was developed in conjunction with SWP.

As procurement of an electrical vehicle was out of reach at this stage, we sourced and refurbished a second-hand Ford Transit, customising it inside and out including installation of roof solar panels in order to power tools needed for repair, and fully branded it to create a moving showcase for the project.

A full-time community coordinator was then appointed. Initially the coordinator’s role focussed on planning attendance at events, speaking to potential volunteers and repair café organisers and training as a PAT tester. Following this, the coordinator also began liaising with businesses and schools to get the message out more widely, along with collecting donated smart tech for repair and refurbishment through tech amnesties.

By partnering with Donate IT, the project was able to ensure as many smart tech items as possible were refurbished after they were donated. Donate IT, who are a sister company of Blackmore IT, were fully equipped to handle, process, data-wipe and refurbish the donated items. These include laptops, tablets, phones, cameras and games consoles.

Rob Hookway receiving smart tech

Outcomes

Our aim with Fixy was to take the repair and reuse of electricals from ‘niche to norm’.

A survey revealed that encountering Fixy had:

  • Helped me to understand more about the importance of repair and reuse – 53.85%
  • Helped me value my stuff more – 23.08%
  • Made me feel better informed about where and how I could get things repaired – 61.54%
  • Made me think more about purchasing refurbished or second-hand items – 50.00%
  • Enabled me to talk more knowledgably about repair and reuse to others – 38.46%
  • Made me think more about volunteering my skills – 23.08%
  • Made me aware that old smart tech can be repaired and passed on to others – 76.92%

Watch our short video about Fixy.

Project Information

Services involved

Behaviour Change

Community Impact

Team involved

Charlie Eddisford
Community Impact Lead / Principal Consultant

Sarah Hargreaves
Behaviour Change Lead / Principal Consultant

Sally Scholefield
Senior Consultant / Designer