For more than a year now, on the second Saturday of each month, Talgarth Community Centre has hosted the Talgarth Repair Café, a volunteer-led initiative bringing the community together to fix rather than replace broken items.

In that time, the team has seen a wide range of items brought in for repair, with skilled volunteers tackling everything from barometers, radios and lamps to textiles, toasters and children’s toys.

A few days ago, however, they were presented with perhaps their most unusual challenge yet – the Talgarth Town Mayor’s vintage chain of office.

Steve, the café’s textile expert, took on the task and, after hours of careful concentration and fine needlework, succeeded in restoring the chain to its former condition.

Mayor of Talgarth, Cllr Louise Elston Reeves, praised the work of the volunteers.

“A wholehearted thank you to Talgarth Repair Café,” she said.

“Talgarth’s mayoral chains of office required a much needed make over and repair.”

“Having this volunteer, community led asset on our doorstep has saved money from the public purse, drawn on local skills and quickened the process,” she added.

A spokesperson for the Repair Café said they were delighted to have been able to help with such a unique project.

The spokesperson said: “We were delighted to assist the Town Mayor with this project.

“The Repair Cafe is a wonderful example of our community working together to save the financial outlay of purchasing new items, reducing space in landfill and bringing together different generations of our small community in a meaningful way.

“We always welcome items to be fixed and people with skills to fix them.”

The Repair Café continues to meet on the second Saturday of each month at Talgarth Community Centre, offering a practical and friendly space for residents to give new life to broken belongings.