Sharing, repairing and creating community through volunteering at Share Skipton
Share Skipton’s vision is to create a more sharing, sustainable Skipton. Imagine a place where you can borrow a carpet cleaner instead of buying one, where neighbours come together to fix bikes and broken toasters, and where people gather to learn new skills and reduce waste.
Share Skipton is making this vision a reality, one borrowed item, one repaired lamp, one friendly conversation at a time.
More than just a Library of Things
Share Skipton opened its Library of Things in 2024, now offering over 500 items that people can borrow for a small fee, from sewing machines and tools to tents, projectors, and kitchen equipment. Most have been donated by local people, showing just how much Skipton believes in the power of sharing.
But this isn’t just about things. At its heart, Share Skipton is about bringing people together; to learn, fix, reuse and feel part of something.
Strengthening the organisation through volunteering
In early 2025, Share Skipton created a new Volunteer Coordinator role to support their growing team and deepen their impact across the community. With a £10,000 Organisational Development grant from Two Ridings, this grant is designed to help organisations make big, strategic changes.
Morgan Spicer joined the team in March 2025, and this role has seen a huge impact for Share Skipton. Her focus is not just on recruiting more volunteers, but on building a strong, inclusive and supportive volunteer culture. She’s created systems for training and mentoring, helped people grow in confidence, and made sure that volunteering is accessible and rewarding.
“It’s been amazing to see people connect over a shared purpose. Volunteers are gaining confidence, learning new skills and shaping our future. It’s more than just volunteering; it’s community-building in action. It’s helping to create a more sustainable Skipton by putting circular economy principles into practice, sharing, reusing, repairing and making the most of what we already have.” Morgan Spicer, Volunteer Coordinator at Share Skipton.
Over the last few months, the volunteer base for both the Library of Things and the Repair Café has grown significantly, with 32 new volunteers recruited, bringing the total to 59. These volunteers contribute across a wide range of roles from librarians and communications, to technicians, data analysts and inventory assistants. New specialist roles have also been created, including carbon footprint tracking and repair café technicians.
One of the biggest successes of 2025 is the launch of their Repair Café. The first event was held in June 2025 and saw over 110 attendees and 70 items brought in for repair. Volunteers supported repairs across seven categories, including bikes, furniture, sewing, blade sharpening, electronics, jewellery, and optical items.
The Repair Café is now a monthly event, helping people save money, reduce waste, and connect with others through practical problem-solving. It is a way of bringing together people who have something that’s broken, with people who know how to fix it.
Supporting people
Morgan’s role has also helped volunteers grow in confidence, pick up new skills and take on leadership roles. With training from Community First Yorkshire, she’s now supporting others to step up and shape the future of the project.
Volunteer hours are now being carefully tracked, helping the team to better understand the impact they’re having. This evidence base is already supporting new fundraising efforts and unlocking interest from other funders, which will help Share Skipton plan long term.
Looking ahead
Next up, Share Skipton hopes to expand their skill-sharing programme, run more community events, and bring in volunteers with even more creative and practical expertise.
In a time of rising costs and climate urgency, Share Skipton is offering practical solutions that bring people together and prove that sustainable living and stronger communities go hand in hand. At Two Ridings, we’re proud to have supported this stage of their journey. Share Skipton shows how a simple idea, led by passionate people, can create lasting change
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