About us

Make it and Mend it is the brain child of four women – Clare Flynn, Clare O’Brien, Hilary Bruffell and Anne Caborn. The aim is to grow a community keen to share ideas and inspiration and which empowers all of us to re-use more and throw away less. And have fun along the way…

The first Make it and Mend it website was launched in January 2009. “We built it ourselves,” explains Anne. “Well, if we couldn’t have a go at making our own website, we wouldn’t be setting much of an example, would we?”

Membership grew rapidly and in the early summer of the same year the four founders decided to create a bigger, more professional site and launch the Make it and Mend it email newsletter.

“The newletter’s a good way of keeping in contact,” explained Clare Flynn. “But we’ve also got lively and involved communities on Facebook and Twitter.”

Make it and Mend it has attracted media attention, including The Guardian and The Sunday Times. The founders also speak at events. “It could be showing people how to make Valentines cards, or an event aimed at helping people start their own businesses,” says Clare O’Brien.

Currently Make it and Mend it is raising its profile as a lobby organisation, encouraging recycling and ‘inspired sustainability’. They also organise local courses and events. “We have fun when we get together – and learn a thing to two,” says Hilary. “We’d like to share that too.”

» More about the team » Join now
» Read about the team in this Making Magazine feature