Fix, Reuse, Create: South London Hub

Thank you to everyone who supported our Spacehive campaign.

Our original aim was to raise funds to help establish a third community space for Fix It Collective, allowing us to expand our activities and reach more local families. While we did not secure the level of funding needed to make this expansion possible, the contributions we received still made a meaningful difference and helped support the delivery of our community programmes.

The funds contributed towards the running of our Little Fixers activities, a programme designed to introduce children and families to repair, mending, creative making and environmental awareness through hands-on experiences. Since September, we have delivered six sessions per week over a seven-month period, creating regular opportunities for families to come together, learn practical skills and engage with sustainability in an accessible and enjoyable way.

Over this period, we recorded 637 bookings across our activities. Approximately half of these bookings were for our Stay & Play sessions, which provide a welcoming environment where young children can explore, create and develop confidence through play. Alongside these sessions, we delivered workshops focused on repair, mending, biodiversity, creative reuse and making, encouraging children to develop problem-solving skills while fostering a greater understanding of how to care for both their belongings and the natural environment.

While our primary audience comes from the local area, families have also travelled from neighbouring communities including Brixton, Camberwell and Forest Hill to participate in our activities. This demonstrates a growing demand for community-led programmes that combine creativity, practical skills and sustainability.

In addition to our regular children's programme, we also piloted activities for adults. During autumn, we delivered a series of adult workshops centred around repair, mending and creative skills, helping participants gain confidence in repairing items, reducing waste and learning practical techniques that can be used in everyday life.

We also established our free Craft & Mend Social sessions, creating an informal space where local residents could come together, work on their own projects, share skills and connect with others. These sessions have helped foster a sense of community while promoting the values of repair, reuse and resourcefulness that sit at the heart of Fix It Collective.

Alongside our regular programme, we organised three themed seasonal fairs, bringing families together through creative activities, community engagement and opportunities to learn about repair and reuse. We also delivered free community events, including a Halloween Fair and a Toy Swap, encouraging sharing, waste reduction and stronger local connections.

Accessibility and inclusion have remained important priorities throughout the project. Although Fix It Collective has not yet secured ongoing grant funding, we regularly offered free taster sessions to families interested in our activities, helping to reduce barriers to participation and ensuring that more people could experience what we offer. Our limited resources meant that we could not provide as many free activities as we would have liked, but we remain committed to increasing access as funding opportunities become available.

The support received through this campaign helped us continue delivering these activities and maintain a growing community around repair, creativity and sustainability. Beyond the financial contribution itself, the campaign reinforced the importance of our mission and demonstrated that people believe in the value of creating opportunities for people of all ages to learn, connect and take positive action within their communities.

Over seven months, we delivered six sessions each week, welcomed 637 bookings, attracted participants from across South London, organised seasonal community events, provided free social and educational activities, and created opportunities for both children and adults to engage with repair, reuse and sustainability.

While we have not yet secured the resources needed to expand into an additional space, the project has laid strong foundations for future growth. The response from families and local residents has shown that there is a genuine appetite for community-led activities that promote creativity, practical skills, environmental awareness and social connection. We remain committed to developing Fix It Collective into a thriving community resource where people of all ages can repair, make, learn and connect.

Thank you again to everyone who contributed and supported this journey.