The island is set to introduce its own repair and restoration service in the vein of popular BBC show ‘The Repair Shop’.

From this week, a three-month pilot will begin at the Eastern Civic Amenity Site (ECAS) as the ECAS Joint Committee (comprising five local authorities) joins forces with Northern Men in Sheds and Live at Home.

The ‘Repair Shop’ initiative will see items still retaining some re-use value - but have either not been collected from the reuse shed or are destined for a waste skip at the Middle Park facility - set aside.

Then, if the person disposing of it is agreeable, images will be shared with Northern Men in Sheds to determine whether the item can be repaired and upcycled.

Operated by Douglas City Council on behalf of the local authority and neighbouring Onchan, Braddan, Santon and Garff Commissioners, the civic amenity complex plays a significant role in recycling and re-using household waste.

Initially, the ‘Repair Shop’ service will apply to items such as furniture, household appliances, bric-a-brac, DIY, fitness equipment and garden tools.

Eventually, Northern Men in Sheds may look to extend it to include electrical items, conducting routine testing before removing the items for reuse.

Garff commissioner and chair of the ECAS Committee Tim Kenyon says the aim of the partnership is to reduce the amount of re-usable items going to the Energy from Waste facility or being shipped away.

He said: ‘For some time now, the shed at the Eastern Civic Amenity Site has been a hive of activity from members of the public, both for those who drop items off and those who look to see what is up for grabs and can still be put to good use.

‘The opening of the large and lighter shed in the summer of 2023 has only led to increased interest in such a valuable resource.

‘At a committee meeting, members were discussing its popularity and felt it lends itself to running a venture similar to the Repair Shop concept which is a sustainable antidote to the throwaway culture.

‘We look forward to working with the Live at Home and Northern Men in Sheds team who have the necessary skillsets and experience.’

Karen Winter, CEO of Live at Home which runs the Men in Sheds projects, expressed her delight at being involved.

She said: ‘Everyone at Northern Men in Sheds is genuinely excited about this initiative. When the ECAS committee invited organisations or individuals to express interest in providing such a service, our members did not hesitate to step forward.

‘The facility is a fantastic way to reduce waste, reuse items before they become waste and repurpose items which would not normally go to a charity shop, saving tonnes from being unnecessarily disposed of.

‘Sometimes items simply need a lick of paint or some basic repair work so we would like to put this resource to even better use.

‘The Repair Shop partnership will enable items with remaining reuse value to be restored and given a new lease of life - an outcome that is both environmentally responsible and socially beneficial.’