A TEENAGER from West Devon has become one of the youngest menders in the country to take part in the network of repair shops.
Seth Blundy is definitely bucking the age trend at the increasingly popular workshop in Horrabridge — he was only 15 two weeks ago.
Horrabridge Repair Cafe follows the concept made famous by the BBC1 Repair Shop programme with star presenter Jay Blades.
After three meetings as an ‘apprentice’, Seth has already made a valuable contribution to the hoards of villagers who bring in loved pieces of family history for mending and bringing back to life.
He has helped mend a 100-year-old set of family Christmas lights, a locked safe, an electric scooter for a toddler and a bicycle for a youngster.Guided by his father Nathan, Seth is learning fast and using his initiative to work out solutions to problems stumping the other menders.
Seth said: ‘I find it really interesting trying to work out how to mend things. It doesn’t matter that everyone is much older than me. It’s very rewarding to put something right and make somebody happy about something they’re very attached to. I’m taking it seriously and would like to go regularly and learn as much as I can. I have solved some problems myself by thinking in a different way which helped out.’
Nathan said: ‘I’m very proud of Seth. He’s very young to do this, but he’s got the interest and dedication and a way of thinking outside the box.I’ve always encouraged Seth do keep occupied to keep him constructively busy and this is brilliant. It also keeps him off his gaming box and is contribnuting to the community at a really young age. I must admit not many youngsters would fancy this work with a lot of people largely older than me who are keen on fiddling with old items.’
The village monthly repair cafe goes from strength to strength spreading the good news about making the most of the free service.
Nathan said: ‘Most people are keen on a free service and it is helping keep family’s treasured items alive. It also saves throwing things away and reduces the need for waste landfill. Seth seems to understand all this which benefits the environment for his and future generations.’
Seth has certainly joined the ranks of the army of menders at the right time as demand increases ready to restore watches, teddies, bicycles and garden tools such as mowers. One of his joint projects with his father was a locked safe without a key and an electric opening code keyboard without a battery. To gain access to mend it a hole had to be cut in the back and only Seth worked out how to reset the code to make it usable again. He also noticed an issue with a chain on a bike otherwise deemed restored.
He also put together a mended electric scooter for a child and repaired an inherited set of Christmas lights over 100 years old by reattaching lit up spines.
Seth at work restoring items for the Horrabridge Repair Cafe.