"YOU CAN HAVE ACCESS TO THE THINGS YOU NEED WITHOUT IT COSTING THE EARTH."
ABOUT US
What is Borrow Don’t Buy?
Borrow Don’t Buy is Plymouth’s very own Library of Things (LoT). We are a community interest company with the mission of giving you affordable access to the things you need – whilst simultaneously benefitting the Earth.
We’re like a normal library, but with things instead of books! What sort of things? All the things you need…
Perhaps you’re doing some DIY and need a drill? Having friends over and want a projector to watch a film on? Fancy a spot of camping and need equipment? These are just a few of the things you can find at Borrow Don’t Buy!
Why buy a drill when you’ll only ever use it once? Sign up to become a Borrower, and for just a few pounds, borrow what you need, when you need!
With nearly 500 items in our ever-growingInventory there’s a good chance we have something you could do with!
What do we want?
To help you with the following…
Save Money
Reduce Clutter
Reduce your Carbon Footprint
Share Knowledge and experience
Promote the repair and reuse of equipment instead of throwing it away
Inspire the people of Plymouth to create, innovate and engage in social change
Why do we want that?
Because we LOVE Plymouth and we want to help build the best city we can! Sounds amazing, right? If you are interested in becoming a borrower or volunteering/helping out, get in touch. Let’s make it happen!
four steps TO BORROWING
ONE – Become a Borrower!
You can join Borrow Don’t Buy byfilling in ouronline form. It is free to sign up, then you can chose the right membership for you!
TWO – Browse and reserve items!
Our inventory is available to view online and once you are signed up andhave chosen your membership you can reserve items.
THREE – Collect your items!
Come and collect from THINQTANQ, Fairbairn House, Higher Ln, PL1 2AN at your chosen time slot –press the BDB buzzer when you arrive!
FOUR – Return your items!
After using the items, simply return themon or before their due date(during our opening hours) clean and ready for the next borrower.
WHERE TO FIND US
We are based in
THINQTANQCo-working Space
Fairbairn House
Higher Lane, PL1 2AN
Opening Hours:
Tuesday to Friday
9am – 6:30pm
By appointment only, no walk-ins
Still not sure how to get to us? ClickHEREto see a video on how to get to THINQTANQ from Drake Circus.
GET EVERYONE ONLINE (GEO)
During 2020, the pandemic drastically highlighted the extreme digital poverty in Plymouth. Whilst BDB was temporarily closed, we partnered withNudge Community Builders to bring upcycled tech to people who really need it. Local people donated unwanted devices which were refurbished, and then distributed to those most in need. This is now an on-going project helping to close the digital divide in Plymouth and continuing to make use of valuable resources already in circulation!
MORE INFORMATION
How-To’s & FAQ
Do you still have questions that need answering? We have covered our most asked questions about BDB and how to join it. Have a look and if you still have any queries, just get in contact with us.
GET INVOLVED
We are a community project run by volunteers and we love it! Find out here the different ways you can collaborate with us (donations of items or money, time, reviews, a cup of tea or just high-fives)
REPAIR CAFÉ
Do you have things which need some TLC, or are a bit broken and you haven’t had the time or skills to fix them yourself? Repair Cafés are a great way to learn how to fix them, find out more below.
CONTACT US
If you would like to donate an item, please send us an email with the details todonations@borrowdontbuy.co.uk
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