Our volunteers were determined to participate in International Repair Day despite us not having an event on the day. So in keeping with the theme of #RepairEverywhere they went on tour in our local area.
Our volunteer Keith went to Repair Cafe Portsmouth to join the team there as a repairer. He says he had a “fun morning”. The lovely people at the cafe had a badge written out for him and an Apron which is mandatory to wear! They looked after him well with hot drinks and the crucial ingredient at any repair cafe – CAKE!
Then in the afternoon Keith went to meet fellow repairers David and Morgan at The Hovercraft Museum. This unique museum is the only museum dedicated to hovercraft in the world and is located right here in Gosport. With over 50 craft in it’s collection, efforts continue to restore the craft to their former glory.
Onboard the SRN5 Hovercraft our newest volunteer Morgan, is gluing a loose section of the sole of a pair of trainers back on. The duct tape is used to hold the pieces together while the adhesive sets.
Here is Keith repairing a rucksack in the wardroom of the BH7 / Wellington Class military hovercraft. The handle of the rucksack had become detached. He is using a sailmaker’s palm and strong thread to sew through the thick material.
It was great to celebrate International Repair Day by having volunteers from Repair Cafe Gosport come to the museum. We are also an organisation entirely run by volunteers. We welcome those interested in helping us restore these amazing machines and help us keep the museum going for future generations to appreciate the marvel of British engineering that Hovercraft are. Please get in touch if you think you would be interested in joining the team.
Alex Wheeler, Trustee at The Hovercraft Museum
Repair Cafe Gosport runs every month on the 2nd Saturday at Make Gosport. Get in touch today to book your item for repair or to volunteer.