In a heart-warming example of community spirit and sustainability, a beloved 1964 Hoover Dustette has been lovingly restored at a local pop-up repair café. The Oswestry & Borders Repair Café focuses on encouraging residents to mend old items instead of discarding them.
The Hoover Dustette, a nostalgic piece of household history, was originally part of Clive Knight’s family and has a unique backstory. Mr. Knight fondly recalls how the vintage vacuum was used to maintain cleanliness around their cherished Ford Pop. However, years of service had taken their toll, leading to unfortunate damage from mice that compromised the fabric dust bag.
At the forefront of the restoration effort was sewing expert Zarena Allan, whose skills and dedication left Mr. Knight thoroughly impressed. With her sewing machine in hand, Zarena carefully examined the Dustette, assessing the damage and devising a plan to revive the vintage vacuum to its former glory. Her expertise was instrumental in ensuring that the restored unit could once again fulfil its cleaning duties, preserving not just a household item but also a part of Mr. Knight’s family history.
The Oswestry & Borders Repair Café initiative was designed to inspire individuals to consider the potential of mending belongings rather than contributing to the cycle of waste. In today’s throwaway culture, events like the one held in Oswestry serve as crucial reminders of the importance of sustainability and resourcefulness.
Mr. Knight’s emotional reaction upon seeing his family’s Hoover Dustette restored to its former glory highlights the personal connections we form with our belongings.
Oswestry & Borders Repair Café will be back in Oswestry Memorial Hall on Saturday April 12th 12 – 3 pm
You can help us by booking your item in beforehand, so we know which fixperts to invite and what tools they need to bring. (Bookings by Apr 6th please).
Don’t forget you can also bring your repairs in to the Midweek Mend sessions at the Climate Action Hub in Bailey St. Wednesdays 11:00 – 14:00 (but please arrive before 1pm to give them enough time).
For more information please contact Colin on 01691 239344.
osbordersrepaircafe@gmail.com
Clive Knight and Zarena Allan with the beloved 1964 Hoover Dustette.
