Meet Ally and Gemma: the duo turning repair into a nationwide movement

• Business name: We Are Repairs

• Industry: Repairs

• Founded in: 2025

• Top business product: Business bank account

• Key learning: “Building something that creates genuine social good while remaining scalable requires constant iteration, resilience and a clear sense of purpose.”

Every year, millions of damaged or time-weathered household items are thrown away in the UK alone. Not because they can’t be repaired, but because repair isn’t always the obvious solution. 

Ally Booker and Gemma Broad saw this firsthand through their restoration work and realised the problem wasn’t a lack of skilled repairers, but a lack of visibility, trust, and easy access. Together, they launched We Are Repairs in June 2025, creating an online directory connecting people with professional repairers across the UK. 

Their mission is simple: make repair the obvious choice, reduce waste, and support small businesses that specialise in fixing what’s broken.

What inspired you to start We Are Repairs, and how did your own experience as furniture restorers shape the idea?

Frustration at the current system. We moaned about it to each other for a long time, then thought we either had to be quiet, or start doing something about it. And so We Are Repairs was born!

Through our restoration work, we witnessed firsthand how much high-quality furniture was being discarded, often simply because people didn’t know where to find a reliable repairer. At the same time, as small independent business owners ourselves, we understood how challenging it was to get noticed and discovered online.

That disconnect stayed with us. The issue wasn’t a shortage of skilled repairers, or a lack of people wanting to repair, but a lack of visibility, trust, and easy access for the public. We wanted to create a voice for repair strong enough to counter the mass-marketing culture of throwaway consumption. 

Our background in restoration gave us a deep appreciation for craftsmanship, longevity, and the true value of repair, and that experience shaped We Are Repairs into a platform designed to make repair the obvious, effortless choice.

How did you go about building a national directory of over 3,000 repair and restoration businesses, and what were the key steps in getting it off the ground?

Building the directory was a hands-on, time-intensive process. Over six months, we scoured the internet, social media, and tapped into our network of friends, family, and contacts across the country, researching and reaching out to repairers across 18 different homeware categories and regions.

At the same time, we dedicated significant effort to designing and building a simple, searchable platform, defining our categories and messaging, and creating a vetting process for Premium and Featured repairers.

What have been the biggest challenges in running a mission-driven platform, particularly one focused on sustainability/small business support?

One of the biggest challenges is balancing impact with commercial reality. The businesses we support are small, independent repairers who are often time-poor and cost-conscious, so we’ve had to be thoughtful about pricing, value and accessibility while still building a sustainable platform.

Another challenge is changing consumer behaviour. A lot of our work is about education and cultural change, helping to build something that shows people repair is normal, convenient and worthwhile.

How do you balance growing the platform with maintaining quality and trust for users and the businesses listed?

When you’re looking to have an item that means something to you repaired, trust is crucial. You want to know that the person handling your item has the skills to do the job properly. That’s why we take our time selecting businesses, ensuring they have a solid track record and offer services relevant to our customers.

The directory has never been about adding as many listings as possible at the expense of quality. We’ve put processes in place to verify Premium and Featured repairers and to keep information across the platform accurate. Every repairer who joins agrees to follow our Repairers’ Code of Conduct, which puts honesty, integrity, and customer service at the heart of their work. These are the same values that underpin most small businesses.

As we scale, we continue to prioritise vetting, user feedback, and direct relationships with repairers. We’d rather grow steadily, support professional repairers, and protect the platform’s reputation than expand quickly and dilute trust. Maintaining this balance ensures that users feel confident and repairers feel proud to be part of the network.

What do you enjoy most about running We Are Repairs, and what keeps you motivated in pursuing your mission?

What we enjoy most is seeing the real-world impact and sharing the joy of repair. Hearing from users who’ve saved a treasured item, or from repairers who’ve gained new customers through the platform, is incredibly motivating. It reinforces that what we’re building has genuine social and environmental, as well as economic, value. 

Knowing that items are being repaired instead of thrown away, and that independent repair businesses are getting more work and recognition for their skills, keeps us focused and committed even when things are challenging.

What financial products have supported you in growing and running the platform? 

It was important for us to choose a bank that shared our values and genuinely supported small businesses. We found that in The Co-operative Bank. Their sign-up process was thorough, asking thoughtful questions about our business plan and how we aim to minimise our environmental impact, which we really appreciated. We were also impressed by how quickly they processed our application and set up our account. Since then, their customer service team has been consistently helpful whenever we have any enquiries.

What has been the proudest moment or key milestone for the business so far?

A key milestone for the business so far was being invited to meet with Mary Creagh CBE MP to discuss the Circular Economy less than 6 months after launching. To be able to put the voice of independent repair businesses into decision-making at the government level is a really important step to providing an accessible repair ecosystem. 

But just as importantly, every business sign-up, and every email or social media message that we receive, makes us so proud that we’ve built something that’s addressing the very real problem we’re facing with the throwaway culture and repair skills being lost.

What lessons have you learned about building a business that combines social impact with practical, scalable operations?

Building something that creates genuine social good while remaining scalable requires constant iteration, resilience and a clear sense of purpose. When the mission is clear, it helps guide decisions and keep the business aligned as it evolves. This is something we will continuously strive for.

This case study is for informational purposes only and is not intended as financial or professional advice. The results described are specific to the individual’s personal experience, so please consult with a qualified professional if you need financial advice.