January: A Month of New Skills and Community Power

January is often a time for fresh starts, and across the CAG Somerset network, it certainly lived up to that spirit. Our groups kicked off the year with a strong focus on skill‑building, particularly around one key area that keeps our repair cafés safe and thriving: PAT testing.

Learning the Essentials of PAT Testing

We began the month with an informative and hands‑on session led by the brilliant Robert Horn, who generously shared his expertise in Portable Appliance Testing (PAT).

For anyone new to the concept, PAT stands for Portable Appliance Testing—a combination of a careful visual inspection and an electrical test using specialist equipment. It’s a vital part of ensuring that repaired electrical items are safe to return to their owners.

👀 The visual inspection checks for:

• Damaged plugs
• Frayed or worn cables
• Overheating
• Insulation issues
• Polarity concerns

⚡ The electrical test looks at:

• Earth continuity
• Insulation resistance
• Polarity checks
• Overall functionality and safety

This knowledge is essential for any repair café handling electrical goods, and we’re incredibly grateful to Robert for helping strengthen safety across the network.

Session Two: Passing the Torch – Training Our New Trainers

Our second session of the month had a slightly bittersweet feel. As Robert has now moved further north, we needed to look within the network for someone to continue delivering PAT training.

Thankfully, the CAG Somerset community is full of incredibly skilled volunteers—mechanics, electrical engineers, tradespeople, and even a retired aerospace engineer! It became clear that the talent and passion we needed was already here.

So Robert delivered a “train the trainer” session, equipping six volunteers from across Somerset with the knowledge and confidence to pass on PAT testing skills to others. This ensures that the network remains sustainable, resilient, and empowered to keep growing its own expertise.

Supporting Safe Repair Across the Network

Training is just one part of our commitment to supporting safe electrical repair. We’re also delighted to have funded three new PAT testing machines through our small grants fund, helping member groups carry out checks independently and confidently.

Building Skills, Building Community

January showed us—yet again—that the strength of CAG Somerset lies in its people. From learning new skills to stepping up as trainers, our volunteers continue to demonstrate what community action is all about: collaboration, empowerment, and making Somerset stronger together.

Here’s to a year filled with learning, sharing, and community-powered change!