THE Ruthin Repair Café, held on the first Saturday of each month at the Naylor Leyland Centre, has an array of talented volunteer ‘fixperts’ on hand.

Sewers, electricians, jewellers, craftspeople, IT support experts, bicycle repairers and general fixers attend the repair café every month.

People can even take their guitar along to be repaired – and if they do, Pete Regan is the person to see.

It was Pete’s interest in the environment and his association with Friends of the Earth that got him involved in the repair café.

He believes passionately in repairing and recycling whenever possible.

He said: “I love the feeling I get when working alongside other fixers, and the whole team, at the repair café.

"It’s so rewarding to bring unused articles back into circulation.

"Some guitars have been lying around for years, leaning against a wall somewhere, without being played, but they can soon be brought back to life.”

Pete, who until his retirement in 2013 worked as a scientist in pharmaceutical development, is a self-taught guitarist.

READ: A record turnout for the volunteers at Ruthin repair café

He has enjoyed playing the guitar from a young age and has taught many students to play.

It was the combination of his love of music and practical skills that led him to repair guitars.

He used to take the audio parts out of radios so that he could fix and build guitar amplifiers, and has built several guitars from scratch.

His first request at the repair café was simply to replace a broken string, but since then he has completely overhauled several guitars, making the instruments more playable.

As with all repair café resources, it is a very personal service, with optional donations gratefully received.

Pete’s wife, Diana Sanders, who is another repair café fixpert, also repairs musical instruments, but her specialism is woodwind, focusing on flutes and clarinets.

In fact, Pete and Diana are a talented duo.

In their spare time, they are members of the local folk-rock band ‘The Amazing Clouds’, who will next be performing at The Wine Vaults in Ruthin on Friday, May 27 (8pm).

For anyone with a guitar, flute or clarinet in need of repair, the next Ruthin Repair Café will be held on Saturday, June 4 (10.45am-1.30pm).

Pete and Diana will be on hand to assist and advise.