Care and Repair Edinburgh celebrates anniversary year
It is getting to the end of 2025 and what a year it has been for the charity Care & Repair Edinburgh (CRE)! They have been celebrating their 40th anniversary since the charity was established to provide practical help around the homes of the elderly and disabled residents of Edinburgh. The charity started in 1985 with the premise of “helping elderly people who are in most need and whose homes require repair or improvement”. Forty years later the charity still provides affordable DIY and repairs for older and disabled residents of Edinburgh
In the first four-years of its existence the charity assisted 670 clients, in 2025 the charity has already carried out 5495 jobs, and the year isn’t even finished yet! Our wonderful volunteers have completed over 550 jobs around the homes of the elderly and disabled residents of Edinburgh, including changing lightbulbs, hanging curtains and putting up pictures and mirrors. An incredible 1264 keysafes have been installed in 2025, so that an older person can stay independent in their own home with a little bit of help from friends, family members or carers. 648 small electrical repairs have been completed, which have included changing cracked light fittings and fitting additional sockets. The joiner has carried out 967 small repairs that have included fixing sash cords in windows, installing grab rails and handrails so clients are safe in their bathroomor installing shelves and curtain poles to make a house more homely. CRE also fit interlinked fire alarms and outdoor hand and grabrails to allow clients to get in and out of their homes and into their gardens safely.
Interestingly the age range of clients that the charity has helped has also changed over the years. In 1985 only 17% of the clients were over 80 years’ old, while today the figure is nearly 46% and 17 over 100-year-olds were supported this year.
However, in this special year the charity also celebrated its 40th anniversary with an event at the Scottish Parliament where many clients and volunteers came along to enjoy pie and chips!
Care & Repair Edinburgh’s Director, Allison Strachan, said at the event:
“It is wonderful to see the difference that we can make to the lives of the elderly and disabled residents in Edinburgh, and we receive such kind feedback from clients. Sometimes what seems like an impossible job for an elderly person who does not have very good mobility for example climbing a ladder to change a lightbulb, can be done by our wonderful volunteers in a flash!”
Care and Repair Edinburgh’s mission has not changed in 40 years, the charity wants to help older and vulnerable people stay independent, comfortable, safe, and secure in their own homes for as long as they can and want to. Please get in touch with Care & Repair Edinburgh if you need some practical work carried out around your home or you would like to volunteer or make a donation so that this Edinburgh institution can carry on for another 40 years.