Alex Williams, Associate Dean of Enterprise at Kingston University London along with a team of fixperts has developed a new initiative – FixShop – a drop-in pop-up planned for the centre of Kingston over the winter.

FixShop sets out to demonstrate the importance of design ‘fixing’ & craft as ways for consumers to co-think the future. The concept forms part of a wider social project – Fixperts (also developed at Kingston) – to encourage people to solve everyday problems through design & making, & is part of a wider return to fixing/hacking products.

Working with a team of designers & craftspeople, the approach gives individuals the insight & confidence to find solutions for product-based problems, ranging from broken household goods (which will support a sustainability agenda), to innovations & work-around for those excluded economically or through physical & mental difference/disability. They’ll then make the best of these ideas available online for the benefit of the wider community as part of our frugal innovation agenda. We’re then planning to make the FixShop available to local schools to enable them to adapt the approach, & encourage uptake of design-based skills & subjects.

They have the full support of the Royal Borough of Kingston & have just launched a crowd-funding page on the SpaceHive (www.spacehive.com/FixShop), which the aim of raising £27,000 & launching in mid-November.

The project has to date raised over £15,000 with help from the Mayor’s fund (https://www.london.gov.uk/media/mayor-press-releases/2015/09/mayor-backs-london-s-first-garden-high-line-as-part-of-285000)

To follow the progress and see live tweets go to @fixshopkingston

If you also wish to make a donation, or just comment, please go to www.spacehive.com/FixShop