Give & Take FREE Event

15 November 2025 - Big Creative Academy

Waltham Forest’s Festival of

Reuse and Repair

Free Give & Take – Reduce Waste, Share Resources!

Join us for the much-loved Give & Take, run in partnership with Walthamstow Toy Library. It’s a simple and sustainable way to pass on good quality items you no longer need – and pick up something useful for free!

How it works:
 Bring along items in good condition that you’d like to donate, and take away anything you can make use of — no money involved, just community sharing!
 Donations open from 11:30am, half an hour before the event begins.

✅ What you can bring

We accept a wide range of good-quality, reusable items, including:

  • Clothing and textiles
  • Children’s toys and games
  • Books
  • Bric-a-brac & ornaments
  • Arts and crafts materials
  • Kitchenware (crockery, cutlery, utensils)
  • Small electricals (will be PAT-tested on the day)
  • Bikes and bike accessories
  • Garden tools and houseplants
  • Small furniture (items one person can carry – e.g. a chair or small table)
  • Mirrors, picture frames, homeware
  • Hand tools and DIY items

❌ What we cannot accept

For safety and storage reasons, please do not bring:

  • VHS tapes, CDs or DVDs
  • Large furniture (including mattresses and wardrobes)
  • White goods (fridges, washing machines, etc.)
  • Broken, dirty or unsafe items
  • Underwear or soiled textiles
A picture made of smaller pictures. The Reuse and Repair Fair. There is a picture of hands repairing laptop. A picture of an old man repairing sewing machine. A person mending jeans. A person fixing a bike and another picture of a person mending a piece of clothing in nice art way.

Celebrate sustainability in Waltham Forest!

Reuse and Repair Fair! – Community Events

Join us this year as the Reuse & Repair Fairs travel across Waltham Forest in May, July, September, November and  March 2026. Discover practical, creative and eco-friendly ways to give your everyday items a second life. Each fair will feature:

  • Free Give & Take Swap (donations welcome from 11:30am)
  • Electronics Repair Café
  • Bike Repairs
  • Clothes Mending Station
  • Hands-on Workshops for all ages
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We’re proud to take part in the Reuse & Repair Festival, organised by Artillery in partnership with the London Borough of Waltham Forest. Come along and explore fresh ideas for reusing, repairing, recycling, upcycling and repurposing household goods, clothing and much-loved items.

Enjoy a day full of creativity and community spirit, with:

  • Live demonstrations
  • Inspiring talks
  • Workshops and activities
  • Meet local repair and sustainability projects

Everyone is welcome — learn new skills, connect with your community, and help build a greener future! ♻️

Booking for some activities required – more details to follow.

 https://www.artillery.org.uk/reuse-repair

Artillery have been commissioned to produce three Reuse and Repair Fairs in 2024. Featuring a range of local initiatives including: fashion, fabrics, tool sharing, furniture upcycling and interiors.

Please get in touch if you’d like to feature your local Reuse and Repair initiative at the fairs – events@artillery.org.uk

 

When?             Saturday the 15th of November – 12.00 pm – 4.00 pm

Where?           Big Creative Academy, 38 Clifton Avenue, Walthamstow, E17 6HL 

Commissioned by Waltham Forest  Council in partnership with Forest Recycling Project, Waltham Forest Fashion, Walthamstow Toy Library and Forest Fixers.